<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Bread Crumbs by faffanutter</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26092246">Bread Crumbs</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/faffanutter/pseuds/faffanutter'>faffanutter</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:27:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>36,404</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26092246</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/faffanutter/pseuds/faffanutter</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Persona 3 female protagonist (who is named Hamuko for this) finds herself a merman and then she helps him find his friends and then some new ones. Can one find love on the ocean floor?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Female Persona 3 Protagonist/Sanada Akihiko</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Ok so this idea came about because the fish in persona 4 is named Akihiko and I got far too excited about the idea. I'm trying to keep the whole thing fairly light and fun.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hamuko was jogging on the shore to train for the next Tartarus raid on a nice day in late May. The breeze from the sea and the early morning was just enough that she still needed a jacket. She needed to get her jacket wearing days in before summer hit like a bus. </p><p>As she decided to take a breather on a nearby rock she stared out into the ocean. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. </p><p>In.</p><p>And out.</p><p>When she opened her eyes there was a man frantically swimming in her direction. She didn’t remember seeing him swimming before. She makes a mental note to herself about awareness training. If a shadow caught them off guard like this weird man did they could all be killed.</p><p>She kept an eye on the man just in case. He seemed like he was almost drowning with how frantic his movements were. She stood up and got ready to run into the water until she saw the guy rocket out of it himself. He straightened out his whole body to be more aerodynamic. Hamuko assumed his fish tail was also helping with that.</p><p>Wait a minute.</p><p>Merman? A merman just flew out of the water? Hamuko rubs her eyes and looks again. Maybe the late nights were starting to get to her? </p><p>No. He is still a fish man. Now he might as well be a sand man because he’s coated head to toe in it. Hamuko rushes over to help the tenth weirdest thing she’s seen in the past few months. </p><p>He was trying to flop further up the shore but there was visible pain on his face. When he tried to switch to pulling himself with his arms he had to give up from how much it burned. He punched his hand into the sand before he noticed Hamuko staring at him.</p><p>“Do you need any help?” She offers. The fish boy sighs as his pride melts away on the hot sand. </p><p>“Please.” He outstretches his hand to her. She shakes his hand. </p><p>“Nice to meet you! My name is Hamuko!” </p><p>“Uhm... nice to meet you, I’m Akihiko.” </p><p>“You’re a merman.” </p><p>“Yes I am, can you please help me get to the water. I can’t breathe as well up here.”</p><p>“Of course!” She was hoping he’d have something to say to help her help him. All she could think of doing was rolling him back and that seemed kinda painful. She squatted down and wrapped her arms around his waist and below his fish hips. She uses all the strength her legs will provide to lift him, the sand helping with grip. </p><p>She barely gets him a few inches off the ground before she hobbles him back toward the ocean. With the rest of her strength she sloppily tosses him in, tripping herself in the process. </p><p>The fish man- what was his name again? Akihiko. Akihiko shook himself around in the water to get rid of all the sand on him. When he’s full of the right kind of air he looks back to Hamuko who’s dusting herself off from her fall. </p><p>“Thank you for your help. I might’ve been a goner if I had stayed out in the sun too long, haha.” Akihiko rubs his hand behind his head as if it will take away the shame.</p><p>“Do you do that often?” Hamuko flatly asks.</p><p>“Well, I try not to. I just thought I could make it this time.</p><p>“Make it? To where?”</p><p>“...I’m not really sure to be honest. To whatever is beyond this beach.” Akihiko hesitates.</p><p>“Do you take constructive criticism.”</p><p>“Yes, of course.”</p><p>“I don’t think that’s a very good plan.”</p><p>“That’s not constructive criticism.”</p><p>“What would you even do if you got up there. You don’t have legs. You’d just die in a different spot.”</p><p>“I know that, but I have to try. Maybe a miracle would happen where I find a lot of nice people like you to help me to find what I’m looking for.”</p><p>“What are you looking for?” Akihiko grits his teeth and looks off to the side.</p><p>“My sister. She was poached years ago.” Hamuko looses her cheery expression. </p><p>“I’m so sorry, I had no idea.”</p><p>“It’s not your fault. I know it’s probably unlikely that she’s still around but... I just have to know. I don’t care what it takes.”</p><p>“Do you want me to go look around for you?” Hamuko’s desire to help was neverending.</p><p>“You would save my life twice? Are you really that selfless?”</p><p>“I guess I would like some information in return.” Akihiko sighs in relief.</p><p>“Good. I don’t need an unpaid debt that high. What do you want to know.”</p><p>“Everything about you!” Akihiko’s cheeks redden.</p><p>“What? That’s it?”</p><p>“Yep. You’re a merman and I’ve never met one before. I want to know everything!” Hamukos watch starts to beep.</p><p>“Oh, but look at the time! I gotta go for now Akihiko, but I’ll be back tomorrow! Same time same place!” Hamuko runs off back towards the door as Akihiko marks the position of the sun in his memory. He was kind of excited. </p><p>At a similar time the next day Hamuko came jogging down the shore again looking for her new fishy friend. Sure enough he was waiting at the shallow shores for her exactly where they met yesterday. The sand was still lightly disturbed from the scuffle of yesterday.</p><p>“Hi Akihiko! Glad to see you’re in the water today!” Hamuko says with a big grin.</p><p>“I learned my lesson yesterday. Besides, I have you to help me now. I don’t need desperate measures anymore.”</p><p>“I’m glad you trust me so much. I haven’t had much time to ask around yet, but I promise this weekend I’ll get your answer.”</p><p>“I don’t really keep track of time the same way as you. If there is a week end this must be the week right?”</p><p>“Yep! Just one more day. A cycle of morning to night.” </p><p>“I trust you to do it when you can. You’re all I have anyways.” He mutters. Hamuko plants herself down on a nearby rock and rifles through her bag for a notebook. </p><p>“Are you ready to start being bombarded with my every question?” Akihiko gulps.</p><p>“I don’t know if I am.”</p><p>“Too bad! Question one: what are you?” </p><p>“A merman in your terms I guess. We just call eachother fish.”</p><p>“That sounds untrue. Next question! Show me your fish half, I barely got to see it when you were coated in sand.” Akihiko hesitates for a moment before he lifts up his entire fish half for her to see. He had red scales with a soft white underbelly that didn’t translate up to his human half. Within a minute he starts to feel embarrassed and lays back on his stomach normally.</p><p>Hamuko is absolutely dazzled by the sight. Each of his scales shimmered like a ruby and the red complimented his gray hair well. Very handsome for a fish.</p><p>“Any other questions?” She showed him the many pages of questions she had scribbled down. This was going to be a long day.</p><p>“I have so many! Question 3: what do you eat?” </p><p>“Whatever is around I guess. I can eat meat, but I’m not made to kill, so I usually get the next best protein. Bugs.” Hamuko looks fascinated.</p><p>“Really? What’s your favorite kind? Why do you care about protein?”</p><p>“Ladybugs, crickets, locusts, anything I can get my hands on really. I’m not picky. I care about protein so I can get stronger. I was thinking that maybe if I can sustain a handstand long enough to walk with it maybe I could go to town and find Miki. It’s hard though since my weight is a lot different underwater than it is on the surface.”</p><p>“Why don’t you just work out on the surface?”</p><p>“People might freak out. I don’t make it a habit of being seen by people.” </p><p>“Your past plans only get more holes in them.” Akihiko groans.</p><p>“Please don’t point that out.” </p><p>“Ok! Question number four? Am I on four? Whatever. Do you have any family?”</p><p>“No, I am an orphan.” </p><p>“Any friends?”</p><p>“I had one once...” Hamuko smiles awkwardly.</p><p>“Oh... I’m sorry to hear that. Are you lonely?”</p><p>“I try not to think about that.” </p><p>“Uhm ok... do all merpeople look roughly like you in the fish department?”</p><p>“No were all very diverse. My fins resemble that of a red snapper. My friend had the body of a hammerhead. My sister was similar to me but purple.”</p><p>“Purple snapper?” </p><p>“It’s not an exact translation. We are similar to fish but we aren’t the same.” Hamuko scribbles that down in her notebook. Her watch begins to beep signifying that she has to leave for Tartarus.</p><p>“Ah sorry, Akihiko, I’m having a lot of fun but I have to go. I’ll bring you something nice tomorrow I promise! Goodbye!” She barely even gives him an inch to respond as she’s already running back to the dorm. Akihiko waves after her and slowly puts his hand down with a shy smile. It’s exciting to have something to look forward to.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The ole bait and fish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A nice time between friends sharing common interests and not common interests</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Hamuko is back as promised with her backpack bulging with stuff. She’s out of breath as she approaches the punctual merman, slamming her pack on the ground with a thud. Curiosity takes him as he tries to leave the water to examine but Hamuko gives him the stink eye.</p><p>“Fins where I can’t see them, buster. You’ll see what’s in the bag soon enough. I got information on your sisters whereabouts.”</p><p>“Really? Did you find her!?” </p><p>“No not quite. I did get an address to a research lab that studies your sorts of folk Though. They’re closed today so I’ll have to go there another day.”</p><p>“I want to go too.” </p><p>“I wish you could.” </p><p>“There has to be a way.”</p><p>“I’ll find one for you if you can think of one.”</p><p>“Carry me?”</p><p>“I could barely carry you back into the sea. I don’t think that’ll happen. Anyways look I brought gifts!” Hamuko breaks open her backpack and throws him a bag of dried crickets. He catches it easily and examines with confusion.</p><p>“Are they alright in there.”</p><p>“No they’re dead.”</p><p>“Oh ok.” He tears open the bag and quickly eats them all. He then tries to eat the bag too. Hamuko quickly tears it away from him.</p><p>“No no you don’t eat the bag!”</p><p>“Ah. Like a clam.” Whatever that means sure. Hamuko stuffs the bag into her bag and pulls out four weights in its place. Akihiko pulls one closer towards him and is surprised by the weight. </p><p>“I think we should train together here on the surface! I have to train anyways and if you want to get stronger too I’d love to help you out!” Akihiko drags a second weight in with his other arm. </p><p>“What did I do to deserve you?” Akihiko mutters.</p><p>“Being in the right place at the right time!” Hamuko answers with a smile. </p><p>“Now cmon there’s no time to waste, we need you strong if we want to find your sister!”</p><p>“Wait a minute, what is it you need to train for?”</p><p>“Top secret!” Hamuko begins lifting her set of weights. </p><p>“Why do I have to tell you everything and I don’t get to ask you anything?” Akihiko cautiously starts with one arm to learn her technique.</p><p>“You haven’t asked anything except the one thing I can’t tell you about.” </p><p>“Can I ask you questions?”</p><p>“Nah. I want to ask you stuff today. What do you use your arms for normally down there?” Akihikos expression grows shocked until he realizes what she means. </p><p>“Picking stuff up? Holding things? What kind of question is that.” </p><p>“Oh I dunno I mean when I go in the water I need all my limbs to swim. I figured with your tailfin you need arms way less.” </p><p>“What do you use your arms for up there huh? Movement?”</p><p>“You have to swing your arms to walk and run effectively yeah!”</p><p>“Hm. Being human is a lot harder than I thought. No wonder you lift so much.” Hamuko laughs. Akihiko takes up the other weight and starts lifting.</p><p>“I don’t know if you should be lying on the sea floor if you’re lifting. It might mess up your spine. I think you should be... standing? swimming?”</p><p>“Yea yea I get the message you’re probably right.” Akihiko backs up into the ocean like a dolphin doing a trick to start lifting again. Hamuko doesn’t like how far away he is however.</p><p>“Hey I got another question for you! Did you come from an egg or another fish!” Hamuko shouts so he can hear.</p><p>“What?! I can’t hear you!” Akihiko shouts back.</p><p>“I said did you come from an egg or a fish!” She shouts louder. She can feel the stares of distant beach goers. She is saved from any more of this by the beeping of her watch. She makes a motion out to the ocean of her pointing to her watch and pointing to the exit of the beach before she darts off to her responsibilities.</p><p>Akihiko tries to swim back to shore fast enough to give her her weights back but the very weights slow him down too much to reach her. He’s tells himself that he has to ask her some questions tomorrow no matter what.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Jewel Beetle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hamuko and Akihiko are curious about eachothers lifestyles</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The chapters are fairly short at the beginning because I did not write them as chapters at first. That's also why 8 chapters are getting posted on the same day. I hope you're enjoying the read if you've gotten this far though!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Hamuko comes back on time like always where Akihiko is waiting as always. She was really starting to cherish the little routine. Akihiko perks up when he sees her.</p><p>“Hamuko, I brought your weights back. I also have some questions I’d like to ask you today.” Hamuko seems excited at the idea.</p><p>“Ok! Also you don’t need to give me those back they were a gift. You need them for your own training so your arms can look like mine someday.” Hamuko shows off the gunshow as she takes out her weights from her backpack. Akihiko is smitten.</p><p>“Oh uhm thank you very much. I will keep working hard.” He begins to lift his own weights on the shore with his bad posture. Hamuko scowls. </p><p>“You’re gonna hurt yourself like that.”</p><p>“But i want to be able to hear you still.” Hamuko thinks for a minute.</p><p>“I have a great idea! I’ll just bring my swimsuit tomorrow so I can lift in the water with you!”</p><p>“That doesn’t sound safe.” He couldn’t say the idea wasn’t exciting. She felt untouchable on the shore. Wait untouchable? Why did that matter... </p><p>“You’ll be there to spot me! It’s completely safe. Now what were those questions you had about me? I’m curious.” She asks with life filled expression. Ah yes it matters for spotting. Akihiko remembers now. Of course.</p><p>“I have plenty. Why do you have to leave at a specific time every day? Why do you show up at the same time every day? What do you do during the day?”</p><p>“That’s pretty loaded! I have to leave to go be with my team on our top secret mission. I show up at the same time because that’s when I get out of school! I go to school during the day.”</p><p>“Ah yes. I am familiar with school.” Akihiko says as he thinks of a large grouping of fish. </p><p>“Was that all your questions?”</p><p>“I have plenty more. Who is your team? What do they play?”</p><p>“Hmm. Let’s say tennis! Gimme another question.”</p><p>“Do you have any family or siblings?”</p><p>“Nope! My parents died a long time ago and I’m pretty sure I was an only child.” She says a little too upbeat to be sane.</p><p>“Do... you get lonely?”</p><p>“Do you like copying my questions? I might’ve used to get lonely but now I’m so busy I don’t have the time to be lonely! I’ve made so many nice friends this year too, including you!” Akihiko felt that straight in his heart.</p><p>“Including me? You consider me a nice friend? I’m so glad... sometimes I fear that I’m asking way too much of you.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t come hang out with you every day if I didn’t think you were a nice friend! Besides, what you ask of me is nothing compared to my team.” Akihikos Brow furrows as he smacks his fist into his hand.</p><p>“Let me at them, I’ll make sure they treat you better.” </p><p>“No no! It’s not like that! They treat me well I promise. I’m just the leader. I have a lot they need to expect from me. It’s hard sometimes, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything!” Akihiko still looks worried.</p><p>“Well if anybody ever does treat you poorly, send them my way. A person like you deserves the best in life.” She takes his hand in show of solidarity.</p><p>“Thank you, Akihiko. It’s nice to know you have my back.” They keep their hands held together for a moment too long before Hamuko catches herself and makes a semi awkward trip back to her weight lifting.</p><p>“I sure wish you could, like, come out of the ocean though. It’d be hard to be a mean person all the way to the ocean and I don’t really have a way to contact you either. Honestly it’s a miracle that we’ve met up so consistently so far.”</p><p>“Don’t you have stuff on the surface you can fill with water? Put some wheels on something like that and you can take me wherever you want.” </p><p>“That sounds kinda creepy.” </p><p>“I know.” Akihiko sighs.</p><p>“It’s the best I’ve been able to come up with.” </p><p>“Where exactly are your gills? How long can you go without water?”</p><p>“They’re at about where your skirt starts on you. I could probably live for three hours without water but I start functioning poorly about an hour in. That’s what I’ve been told at least.”</p><p>“That’s a lot longer than I expected. Do you breathe through your mouth and nose too?”</p><p>“I can, but it doesn’t feel as good. Especially in actual air.” Hamukos watch begins to beep.</p><p>“I’ll keep that in mind. As you know I gotta go! See you tomorrow!” Hamuko says as she begins her jog back to the dorm.</p><p>“See you tomorrow.” Akihiko says wistfully. He swims down with his weights all the way down to his favorite rock fixture at the bottom of the sea. Once his weights were squared away he took out his laminated copy of a cruddy dating advice magazine. </p><p>“Are you lovey dovey with your future hubby wubby but you don’t know if he likes you back?! Follow these ten easy steps to see if he hates you!” Akihiko closes the magazine. Did Hamuko think this way?</p><p>He peeks into it again to see the first sign.</p><p>“When he doesn’t return your calls :’( </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Grasshopper</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The two play some games</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Hamuko is back at the usual time and place as per usual with her big smile on. The weather was getting warmer and she had her swimsuit on under her clothes. </p><p>“Akihiko! Good afternoon! I brought my bathing suit so I can be water bound like you today!”</p><p>“That’s great. I have to admit being so close to shore for that long does make me a little worried I might bake. Come on in the water is fine! I have a gift of my own for you here.” Hamuko looks eager. She flings off all her clothes leaving Akihikos mouth ajar.</p><p>“You have so much... skin!” He covers his eyes with one hand.</p><p>“I mean I knew humans had way more skin I’ve seen plenty on the beach but...” Akihiko stops himself before he says something he’ll regret.</p><p>“But? You’re weird Akihiko I don’t tell you that you have so many scales. Whatever, I’m coming in!” Hamuko does as she says and rushes into the water pretending it’s not as cold as it is until she’s barely able to stand in the deep water. Akihiko travels through the water effortlessly alongside her.</p><p>“You’re not going to swim?”</p><p>“Do you really want to see me swim that bad?”</p><p>“I never get to be so close to people to see how they do it.” Hamuko breast strokes deeper into the water where she can no longer stand with her head above water. Akihiko lazily glides beside her watching her every move.</p><p>“I see. This isn’t what I would’ve expected at all. People swim like frogs. I guess they’re shaped just like them.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean!? We have plenty of different strokes anyways this is just the most comfortable one. There are better ones for speed and endurance.” Akihiko perks up at the idea.</p><p>“Really!? Let’s have a race then. First one to that buoy wins. 3. 2. 1. Go!” Akihiko springs it on her too fast for her to even object. He’s gone in a flash while she’s retracing the steps she learned in school. She reaches the buoy about a minute after he does.</p><p>“I’m a little disappointed. I thought the speed technique would be a lot... speedier.” </p><p>“I’m not really a professional. I’ve hardly swam outside of schools and beach days.”</p><p>“You’re at the beach every day now so you should learn from me to be faster. I’ll train you!” </p><p>“I will pass, but thank you”</p><p>“Your loss. Oh wait! I have something to give you. Wait here.” Akihiko dives down into his room to fetch his gift. Hamuko peeks under and realizes she can’t see in water without a good amount of pain.</p><p>Akihiko comes back fairly quickly and hands her a small conch shell.</p><p>“This is for you so you can contact me whenever you like. I know it’s not anything like your phones but I can’t really have your technology underwater. If you blow on this then uh. I guess I will show up? For if you’re lonely and here at a random time.” Akihiko smiles bashfully. Hamuko stares at her new gift with a feeling of awe.</p><p>“Thanks Akihiko it’s very pretty. I’ll keep this on me just in case. What if somebody else blows a conch though?” </p><p>“Unfortunately I will show up for them too. Yours should emit a different pitch then most but I can’t say I won’t show up just in case if somebody else blows one. It’s the best idea I’ve got.”</p><p>“It’s very thoughtful, thank you.” Hamuko beams. She blows the conch almost expecting Akihiko to flinch from it, but he was entirely unphased. </p><p>“hey uh, Akihiko, just another quick question. Is your hearing any better than mine?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t think so.”</p><p>“...Alright.” Hamuko makes a mental note to test this later. She swims back to shore to put it in her bag and grab her weights. Bringing them through the water was far harder than she had ever imagined. How strong was Akihiko?</p><p>“Hey Akihiko! Wanna play a game?”</p><p>“Alright. What sort of game?”</p><p>“I let the weights sink deep into the ocean and you go get them.” </p><p>“that’s a game?”</p><p>“I’ll time you on it.”</p><p>“Now that’s a game! I’m ready for it toss one down.”</p><p>Hamuko wades a bit further into the ocean much to her legs anguish until she can’t take it anymore and drops them both. </p><p>Akihiko dives down on Hamukos signal. Hamuko watches through the blurry waters. He pops back up in front of her within 5 seconds looking as happy as a dog who brought back a stick. </p><p>He hands it back to Hamuko who sinks like a stone. Some real witch trial like stuff.  Hamuko drops the weight back down to save herself from becoming one with the sea floor. Akihiko gives a screwups smile before he dives back in to get it again. He’s far slower this time. </p><p>“I should probably just tread water as my workout. I don’t think my body’s made for partially submerged weight training.” Akihiko looks down at himself while holding the weights.</p><p>“I think I was born for this.” Akihiko says with great confidence. Hamukos waterproof watch begins to beep. </p><p>“Ah. You have to go. Do you want me to take you back to shore?” Hamukos curiosity gets the better of her and she nods yes. Akihiko holds out his arm.</p><p>“Hold onto me and I’ll get us there faster than your beeps will realize.” Hamuko gently holds onto his forearm. It’s very taut. He starts to swim and Hamuko has to hold on for dear life as he swims at the pace of a speedboat. They stop abruptly when they reach shore. Hamuko feels a bit sick from the trip. </p><p>“Thanks, Akihiko! See ya tomorrow!” He waves until she’s out of sight. He didn’t like that their time together was always so short, but he was glad it was everyday.</p><p>He dives back down into his weird little nook of a home and consults his horrible dating advice magazine. He finds the top ten list he was reading before.</p><p>“9. When your crush never takes you out!” Takes you out? Like in a fist fight? They have never fought before. Maybe that would be good training for them both! The dating magazine always knows just what to say.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Stag Beetle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They box!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Hamuko shows up to the shore early to test out the conch shell. She blows on it and waits a few moments. He’s nowhere to be found. She blows into the conch a little harder this time. After waiting a few more minutes she decides that a Akihiko really doesn’t understand his limits, and she gently stuffs it back in her bag.</p><p>After school, Hamuko comes back to the shore with good news for Akihiko. </p><p>“Afternoon Akihiko! I went to the research lab today and asked the receptionist if they’ve gotten any poached fish people in the past decade. She told me she was going to call the cops on me, but then a researcher pulled me aside and told me to meet him tomorrow after school.”</p><p>“Oh really? Do you think he knows about Miki?”</p><p>“I’m not sure but it’s the best lead I’ve got. I also told him I want to have the meeting on this very beach. You’ll be able to hear it all and have my back while you’re at it!”</p><p>“That’s fantastic news! I’ll stay out of sight. Thank you for doing all this for me. I’ll never be able to thank you enough.”</p><p>“you can thank me if he actually has anything useful to say. How have you been today? What do you even do all day?”</p><p>“Uh well I like to practice punching, I patrol the area, I eat, sometimes I do some light reading. The usual things.”</p><p>“What can you read that’s underwater?”</p><p>“Some things that fall into the ocean are covered in plastic and don’t decompose like normal paper. I read whatever I can find. I need my mind as powerful as my body.” He says like he reads much else besides a single blurry math book and his perfectly laminated magazine. Hamuko totally buys it however.</p><p>“That’s what I have to tell myself to get me to go to school every morning! Sometimes I wish I could just drop out. I feel so busy.” Hamuko sighs.</p><p>“Stay in your school. It’s important to stay in large numbers to protect from predators.” </p><p>“Uh yeah! You’re so right.”</p><p>“I don’t understand why your school meets during day hours. The real dangers come out at night.”</p><p>“It’s more for learning than protection.”</p><p>“Do you learn any fighting skills at least?”</p><p>“No I have to teach myself those.”</p><p>“Despicable...” Hamuko hides her mouth behind her hand. She loves how seriously he takes things the wrong way. Akihiko sees this as the perfect opening.</p><p>“In spite of your school, I think we should fight so you can learn sparring better.”</p><p>“Like boxing? That’s the fairest way I can envision.”</p><p>“What is that?”</p><p>“It’s a sport up here that involves fist fighting.” She could see Akihikos eyes sparkle.</p><p>“Exactly like that. Get in the water.”</p><p>“Wait wait wait are we really going to punch eachother bare fisted? I don’t want to hurt you!”</p><p>“I can take any blow you can give, but I guess if you go anywhere with a bunch of bruises people will think you’ve been mauled. I’ll find something.” Akihiko dives into the water and finds a few sea sponges and some pieces of fishnet lying around. He comes back to the surface to show off his new knuckle softeners.</p><p>“Give me your hands, I’ve invented something. I call them soft hitters.” Hamuko laughs as she outstretches her hands to him. He firmly wraps fishnet around her palms to secure the sponge to her knuckles. It wasn’t the worst setup she’s ever had. </p><p>“Very impressive, Akihiko, let me get myself situated with the water and we can spar. I promise I’ll try not to hurt you.” </p><p>Once they’re both in position with Hamuko able to stand and breathe and Akihiko still able to swim they hold their gloves together and count down to start their match.</p><p>3,2,1</p><p>GO!</p><p>They pull their fists back and half circle around eachother not wanting to leave their spots fully. Hamuko feints a punch, Akihiko over dodges and Hamuko gets a hit on his chest. It doesn’t hurt but it does burn to be the first to get hit. </p><p>Akihiko comes in with a flurry of punches. Hamuko dodges a few but has to block for the rest of them. Hamuko goes for a dirty punch to the face but Akihiko dodges and hits her in the side. </p><p>“So when does this end, Aki.” </p><p>“When there’s only one still willing to fight.” Hamuko nods and makes a swift punch to his chest, which he blocks with his own fist and punches for her chest which she blocks with the side of her arm. She’s beginning to miss having a long weapon.</p><p>Akihiko bobs and weaves in defense waiting for another hit. Hamuko doesn’t know how he gets his sort of movement with his fins. She accidentally dodges a punch as she ducks down to look at his finwork. </p><p>Akihiko thinks this is the perfect time to take her out. He punches her back multiple times causing her to fall fully into the water. Yes! Now she’ll really like him!</p><p>Hamuko comes back up and spits out some water. She looks very unhappy. </p><p>“Why are you fighting dirty like that? You shouldn’t hit your opponents back im pretty sure that’s against the rules.” She punches his stomach and then his chest and then his shoulder until she reaches his cheek, which she lightly taps with her fist. </p><p>“I’m sorry. Nobody told me the rules. I don’t think you’re fighting very fair either though.” Akihiko punches for her chest and before the hit can connect, Hamuko punches his fist back. She tries to land a hit on him and he punches her fist back. A bit of mischief glimmers in her eye as she keeps punching randomly for Akihiko to punch her fist right back. It was like a weird game of patty cake.</p><p>After a while of that shenanigan they were both worn out, but too stubborn to admit defeat.</p><p>“Wow Akihiko, the last time I saw you this tired you could’ve died. Maybe you should tap out.”</p><p>“I don’t know, Hamuko, I feel like an opponent would only say something like that when they should be the one tapping out.”</p><p>“Yea but I’m a good friend of yours, Aki, I only want what’s best for you.” She says with a menacing grin. Akihiko throws a soft punch to her stomach that she can’t react to in time. this means war. Hamuko flurries out punches to all over Akihikos body. Many of them connect to his chest and stomach and one to his cheek. </p><p>Akihiko takes one last strong swing at her chest. Hamuko blocks it with her remaining strength, and they both drop afterwards. They end up giving up at the exact same time.</p><p>“I guess it’s a draw then. Fantastic performance Hamuko.” He outstretches a hand.</p><p>“You have some great endurance, Akihiko.” She takes his hand. They weakly shake hands and then collapse. Hamukos watch starts beeping.</p><p>“Oh no... I entirely forgot... they’re going to kill me. Well I’m off for now. Buh bye Aki!” Hamuko waded back to shore and didnt take any time to dry off before she began to trudge back home. Akihiko jared to see her leave but loved to watch her walk away. Not in a weird way of course! The way she walked just tells a lot about her...</p><p>Aside from that Akihiko felt really good about how today went. He took her out! And she took him out too! He’s never really been close with girls before but this felt like it was going really well.</p><p>Akihiko swims back down to his sea bed and lays down to let out a groan of exhaustion. Tennis club must really work her to the bone if she can fight that long and still go to practice after. Maybe he won’t spar with her anytime soon to give her a break. He yawns and instantly he’s out like a light.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Locust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Oh sweet lord its the plot</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Hamuko is back without the usual pep in her step.</p><p>“Afternoon, Hamuko, you look out of it. What’s wrong?” She offers up a tired smile.</p><p>“I think I might have a cold. Tennis practice really ran me ragged last night. No training today.”</p><p>“You probably shouldn’t be here if you’re sick.”</p><p>“Can you get sick from me?”</p><p>“That’s not what I’m worried about.” </p><p>“But do you think it’s possible?”</p><p>“I’m not sure. I hope not. I really think you should go home and get some rest.”</p><p>“I can’t leave you all by your lonesome like that.” Akihikos expression turns soft like a worried mother.</p><p>“Miki used to get sick all the time... Shinji always told me I was being too much of a worrier whenever she fell ill. It was usually colds but I don’t know what I’d do if they got any worse.” He fidgeted with his hands as he stared at his reflection.</p><p>“Who’s Shinji?”</p><p>“He was my friend. We grew up together. The last day I saw him was when Miki got captured. I fell into a state where I wouldn’t leave my room for weeks. Eventually when I finally felt resolve to try and find her, he was gone too.”</p><p>“What happened to him?”</p><p>“I don’t know... either died or he was kidnapped as well. I don’t like to think of either.”</p><p>“Do you think he might be with Miki? He could’ve been keeping her safe this whole time waiting for you.” Akihiko looks up at her with woeful eyes.</p><p>“I hope with everything in my heart that that’s the case... we need to find them.” Hamuko outstretches her hand to the ocean.</p><p>“We will.” Akihiko puts his hand over hers in an awkward go team formation. They slowly pull away.</p><p>“Thank you. I still think you should go home and rest.”</p><p>“But now you have me burning with resolve to go find those two!”</p><p>“Didn’t you say a researcher was supposed to talk to you today about it?”</p><p>“Ah yes, I saw him today but he didn’t have any answers I needed. He left with less teeth and blood.” Akihiko doesn’t wish to ask any further about that.</p><p>“Oh. Uhm. I’m sorry that happened to you. Are you alright? Did he hurt you?”</p><p>“As you can see I still have all my teeth and blood. He was just trying to blackmail me.”</p><p>“What!?”</p><p>“Some freak took a picture of the entire gym class with a camera lens that looks through clothes and some guy was trying to blackmail me with it because I was in the picture. He is taken care of now.” Akihiko slams a fist into his hand.</p><p>“Drag his sorry ass over here so I can make sure that was his last mistake.”</p><p>“Murder isn’t great when you’re dealing with high schoolers but I appreciate the sentiment.” Hamuko sneezes. Akihikos about to show concern but she gives him a look that makes him change the subject before it’s even started.</p><p>“Where do you get your fighting skills from? I’m not very familiar with tennis, but I don’t think it’s a fighting form.” </p><p>“Oh you know...” Hamuko mentally flips through her excuse book “I have to take sport electives at school too.”</p><p>“That makes sense. I don’t think you should go to tennis club today.”</p><p>“I don’t have to go today. We uh finished our tournament for this moon- uhm season. So I have a few days off.” Akihiko seems relieved and excited.</p><p>“That’s fantastic. You should absolutely get some rest today, but when you feel better you should hang out here the whole day with me. We can do something fun like swim laps or have a picnic...somehow. Only if you’re not busy of course.”</p><p>“The busiest I’ll be is trying to figure out the answers to where your friend and family are. I also might start coming here at night instead of right after school just to change it up while I can.”</p><p>“I feel guilty taking up so much of your time.”</p><p>“Don’t. I want to be here and I want to help you no matter how much time it takes.”</p><p>“I won’t take it for granted. Why does your tennis practice happen at night anyways? Doesn’t that make it harder to play?”</p><p>“Yes. We’re very hardcore and we need to use the most unconventional training times to make us stronger than any other team.” Hamuko hasn’t been to tennis practice in weeks. She really didn’t enjoy it all that much.</p><p>“Wow. That’s admirable.” Hamuko can’t keep lying about this forever. Not until she knows that she has to. She bites the inside of her cheek as she figures out how to phrase a life changing question. If he doesn’t know what she’s talking about she can just feign delirious from sickness.</p><p>“Hey Akihiko, have you ever seen anything weird at night. Like when the moon hits the highest point in the sky. Have you ever seen anything weird in that hour?”</p><p>“I don’t really go above water after dark. I like to sleep early to get up early. Why?”</p><p>“If you’re not asleep some night I think you should hang out on the surface for a while to see if you see anything weird. Just a little experiment for me, ok?”</p><p>“I really think you should go home and rest. I’ll do that tonight if you’ll go and rest now.” Hamuko smiles. All according to plan.</p><p>“Ok I think I will, I do feel very tired. Goodnight Akihiko! See you tomorrow!” She waves behind her as she walks away.</p><p>She really hopes he can see the midnight hour too.</p><p>At night Akihiko keeps his eye on the moon. It’s close to the peak of the sky. He peaks his head out of the water and looks around. Everything seems normal so far. The usual late night hustlers and hustlers still mulling around. He yawns and stretches. He was tired, but he made a promise. He keeps his eye on the sky.</p><p>A few minutes later the sky turns green. Akihiko swims up to the surface and looks around the town. Everything is in standstill. The late night people have all turned into shapes he couldn’t quite make out. Not people anymore that’s for sure. </p><p>A man walks up by the area he’s resting in at shore. He has long hair and kind eyes. Akihiko is freaked out. How is he not one of those shapes?</p><p>“Ah, another mermaid not transmogrified by the midnight hour. Hello young man, it’s very nice to meet you.” He says with a pleasant smile. </p><p>“What is all this?” Akihiko hesitates to trust him but needs answers.</p><p>“The dark hour. Only certain people are awakened to it, but for some reason every mermaid is awakened to it.” Akihiko drifts further away from him.</p><p>“How many of my kind have you met before?” The man only beams with a disturbingly pleasant smile. Akihiko can feel every sense of security fading away. </p><p>“You... it was you!” He rushes towards the man to give him a right hook but the man merely steps back. Akihiko is partially beached but quickly rolls back into the water.</p><p>“Where are they?! Where are you keeping them?!” The man slowly walks along the shore away from him.</p><p>“Oh don’t worry. You’ll be with them soon enough. Enjoy the hour... Akihiko.” Akihiko felt his whole world shatter as he watched the man who ruined his life walk inches out of his range. It took everything in his power not to rush at him anyways.</p><p>“Hamuko will be here. Hamuko can help. Stay alive for Hamuko.” He whispers to himself through clenched teeth. He dunks down into the water and wistfully sinks down back to his home. Millions of thoughts race through his mind as he stares at the wall with his mouth agape.</p><p>What was the guy there for? What did he want with him? Did he know he was going to be there and how? He had to have had Miki at the very least. Was the man here to get him because Miki...</p><p>Akihiko felt himself getting nauseous at the thought. She has to be alive still. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if she isn’t. Akihiko has a very sleepless night only prolonged by the dark hour.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Sea Guardian</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Akihiko gets a persona, people and fish are saved, new beginnings are in sight for everyone</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning Hamuko is back. Akihiko is washed up with his fish half still in the water, completely asleep. Hamuko takes a minute to enjoy the sight before she decides he can’t be doing very well like that.</p><p>“Akihiko? Wake up!” He doesn’t. Hamuko shakes him by the shoulders and his eyes still don’t open. She begins to push on him by the shoulders to fully get him back into the water. His eyes flutter open when he feels him skin fearing against the sand.</p><p>“Huh? Hamuko? What are you doing here..? Wait! Hamuko! I’m so glad you’re here. I need you.” He has a firm grip on her shoulder in one hand and is rubbing his eye with the other.</p><p>“What’s wrong, Akihiko? Did you see what I was talking about yesterday?”</p><p>“I saw more than that. I think I met the man who stole my sister. He told me I would be with her soon enough. As well as something about the dark hour and my kind never uh. I can’t remember the word...”</p><p>“Can you describe him in detail? I’m so glad you can see the dark hour too...”</p><p>“He had long hair and a weird smile and he seemed to know a lot about this stuff. He had some bad facial hair too.” Hamuko searched through the very short database in her mind of people that know about the dark hour and look like that.</p><p>“I know two people that fit that description, but only one that’s antagonized me before. Now I just have more reason to take him out. I don’t think he has a headquarters though. Do you remember anything else?”</p><p>“He was wearing glasses and the wrong clothes for the season.” Hamuko gets a funny look on her face.</p><p>“Oh no.” She sinks to her knees.</p><p>“Ohhh no no no. I know exactly your killer and he is the director of what might as well be my life.” </p><p>“What!?”</p><p>“He’s the director of my school and of my club. I have a lot to explain to you, but I think I should spend that explanation time looking for the two fish that might be trapped somewhere in the dorm.”</p><p>“Hamuko I would like it if you would tell me anything to ease my mind.”</p><p>“I’m going to find them.”</p><p>“Please take me with you.</p><p>“Akihiko...”</p><p>“I know I understand you can’t really. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“No wait. I want you to try something for me.” Hamuko hands him a gun. Akihiko looks like he’s about to break at any minute.</p><p>“I don’t think this is the answer, Hamuko.”</p><p>“It’s not a real gun, trust me.” She takes the gun back and snugly cocks it against her head easily pulling the trigger before Akihiko could lunge at her. A beautiful image blooms from the spillage of her mind into a powerful winged angel, and then quickly dissipates again. </p><p>Akihiko outstretches his hand for the gun and hesitantly points it at himself like she did. He pulls the trigger. A vaguely knightly figured emerged who was covered in grass and trees and other greenery on its limbs and helmet and the rest of it was pure water. Akihiko stares at it in awe and whispers it’s name.</p><p>“Gaia...” Hamuko looks deeply relieved.</p><p>“Ok Akihiko, I don’t expect you to be an expert on your persona right now. I’m going to do some investigation on my own because I’m not suspicious. But if I’m right about what I know on personas, you might be able to use this to be on land without threat of death. I don’t know exactly how and that’s for you both to figure out.” Gaia fizzles away. </p><p>“Wait, Hamuko, please don’t go yet. This is all so new. I need you just a little longer to make this all make sense.”</p><p>“What do you need to know?” Akihiko takes some time to find his words.</p><p>“This dark hour stuff... that’s your tennis practice?”</p><p>“I have real tennis practice stuff too but when I leave it is for dark hour stuff.”</p><p>“What do you do?”</p><p>“There’s a big building called Tartarus and we have to crush all the shadows in it so the dark hour stops.”</p><p>“Why does it have to stop?”</p><p>“There’s a disease up here called apathy that happens because of the dark hour. It makes people essentially zombies.”</p><p>“Oh... ok. Do you need your gun back?”</p><p>“No, keep it. You’ll need it. I’m going to go search my dorm for any hint of merpeople. Please stay out of sight. I’ll come find you somehow when I figure things out.”</p><p>“Will I see you tomorrow?”</p><p>“If I’m not caught, yes.”</p><p>“I don’t like the sound of that. Don’t get caught.”</p><p>“I’ll try my best.”</p><p>“If you do there’s no guarantee I won’t destroy the whole city looking for you.” Hamuko scribbles down her address on a piece of paper, and hands it to Akihiko.</p><p>“I’ll be here most likely if I don’t show up on time. I’ll see you tomorrow hopefully with your sister and friend in my arms. Please stay safe.”</p><p>“Same to you. I’ll keep a low profile. Thank you for everything.” He slowly sinks back down as he watches her jog away. On his swim back to his house he quickly memorized the address she gave him as the ink bleeds and the paper decays. He doesn’t actually know how to find an address anyways. The city will have to forgive him for the damage he’ll do if Hamuko is missing.</p><p>He reaches his home at a leisurely place staring at his new weapon. He had never really been that interested in any weapons that didn’t come from his own strength, but this one made his inner strength a weapon? </p><p>He cocks the gun to his head and pulls the trigger. Gaia comes back out of him and stares right through him.</p><p>“Why have you summoned me?”</p><p>“I need you to help me be on land.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“My friends and sister are in danger and I cannot reach them.”</p><p>“I know this. Do you not trust the wildcard?”</p><p>“I trust her...”</p><p>“Waiting patiently will be best for her.”</p><p>“I know that you’re right, but I don’t like to hear it aloud.”</p><p>“I am thou, thou art I-“</p><p>“Yes I understand. We are one in the same and so we think the same. So if that is the case you must want to go help her too?”</p><p>“Why do you ask when you know the answer. I will begin helping you learn to be on land, but we cannot help her in your early stages of learning.”</p><p>“Alright. That makes sense. I am under your care.” Akihiko bows his head to them as they cast a bufu spell around his tailfin hip area to keep him breathing. It’s frigid but the ice makes sure the water keeps flowing into his gills. After a few minutes however he can’t take the cold anymore and his persona fizzles out making the ice fall off with it.</p><p>Damn it. There has to be a better way. He shoots himself again and Gaia is back with the same drive as him. They try offering up their body to him to exist in, but he doesn’t think that the water of a persona can do much good. </p><p>They think on it for a while. Even if he could breathe just fine there’s still the matter of the lack of transport. He could sled around on a giant ice block all over town. That wouldn’t get him killed at all. They both sighed. He wondered how Hamuko was handling things...</p><p>Hamuko finally made it back to the dorm. </p><p>“Welcome back.” Greets Mitsuru. She tries to act natural like she isn’t going to snoop through the entire dorm today on a hunch. It was a pretty good hunch at least!</p><p>“Sup dude! Where have you been all day? I feel like you vanish as soon as school is over these days. Have you made any new friends? Special friends?” Junpei scares the ever loving hell out of her with his jovial antics.</p><p>“Cut it out, Junpei. If she wants to vanish for days on end that’s her business.” Yukari says with her eyes glazed over at her homework.</p><p>“Aw cmon, aren’t you just a little curious, Yuka-tan?” </p><p>“Not enough to haggle her over it like you do.” Junpei looks back to ask Hamuko if he’s really a bother but she’s already slipped out when they were distracted by their banter. </p><p>“Look what you did, now I’ll never know!” Junpei whined.</p><p>“I did a good thing then.” Yukari harrumphed.</p><p>Hamuko had slipped upstairs to the top floor in the surveillance room. This was probably the least normal place in the entire building so it’s not too far off to assume it’s heavily modified with who knows what. </p><p>Hamuko started pulling at every book on the shelf and touching every object in the room. When she was done with that she began harassing the computer by typing in every letter in the keyboard and then keysmashing multiple times. She was not a hacker or a detective by any means.</p><p>She tried turning on the computer. There were two accounts on it. One of them had an icon of a sunflower and was named,”Tartarus,” and the other was of a dolphin and was named,”other stuff.” Hmmm.... </p><p>Hamuko decided to try to log onto the other stuff account, but there was a password. There was also a hint.</p><p>“Look at the icon.” Hamuko typed in dolphin. That was not it. She then typed in fish. That wasn’t it either. Mammal? No. Porpoise? No. Eventually she got around to typing the correct password. “Mermaid.”</p><p>The computers all got lively and turned on to show a display of a single fish person swimming around in a large tank. The room he was stored in looked unfamiliar. Hamuko put her finger on the mic button.</p><p>“Hello? Is this thing on?” The fish man flinches and gets really mad.</p><p>“Who is that!? Show yourself!” </p><p>“I wish I could but I have no idea where you are. Do you know?”</p><p>“I can feel the vibrations of voices above me. I think I am in the bottom of whatever building this is.” What? Could this one actually better than people?</p><p>“Ok I’ll be right down!” Hamuko says like a giddy schoolgirl. Which she is. She rushes down the stairs where she runs into Mitsuru.</p><p>“where are you headed off to in such a hurry? Don’t you know we have to head to Tartarus tonight. The full moon will be here soon.”</p><p>“Yes. I just need to get something from the basement real quick.”</p><p>“why do you know that we have a basement?” Mitsuru asks cautiously.</p><p>“Mr. Chairman let me freeze my ice packs down there. I’m just going to rest my bruises before we go and get more!” Hamuko keeps looking for any out of this conversation.</p><p>“Alright then. Please take better care in Tartarus to not get so badly injured.” Mitsuru has finally dismissed her and she skirts down into the basement. There is nothing there but a basement. Where is the fish man?</p><p>“hellooo? Anybody in here?” Hamuko drawls out. She keeps her ears open for anything. She hears a knocking coming from underneath her, but it just looks like a regular floor.</p><p>She steps around on every tile until one of them pushes down and through the floor making a loud crash. That wasn’t exactly what she intended but anything to get to the second basement was fine by her. She kicks down a few more tiles and slips down into the new basement.</p><p>She lands squarely on her feet. When she looks around she sees a lot of gears and gadgets and water all over the floor. As well as a large tank and a large fish residing in it. He swims up to the glass quickly and hits it with his shoulder so hard the enclosure shakes. Hamuko jumps back startled.</p><p>“Are you- Are you by any chance Akihikos friend?” The fish turns his back to her.</p><p>“...Are you?” There’s a certain tenderness in his reply</p><p>“Yes! I’ve been sent here to come and rescue you. You have to be Shinji, right?”</p><p>“That’s Shinjiro to you.”</p><p>“Yessir. Do you know how to get out of here?” </p><p>“No, otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Hamuko huffs at how unhelpful that is and begins to feel around all the control panels. She hits every button she knows about and after setting off several alarms the tank opens up, spilling Shinjiro out of it. He starts gasping for water immediately. </p><p>Hamuko quickly hands him a gun.</p><p>“Shoot your self in the head with this! It might help!” Shinjiro takes the gun and shoots himself. He’s already used to his persona. It looks just like similar to Akihikos persona on the top but then it’s riding a seahorse. Hamuko giggles. It’s kinda cute.</p><p>His persona lifts him up onto the horse in front of it and presses its hands to his gills. Shinjiro looks like a knight in shining armor with a fair maiden clinging to him to stay on his noble steed. Hamuko can’t get enough of this. She half expects to watch him joust next. </p><p>Her merriment ends quickly as a familiar voice cries out.</p><p>“What have you done to my lab!?” It’s the chairman. He is not happy about the missing ceiling and the escaped fish.</p><p>“Mr. Chairman, I think you should be the one explaining. Why do you have this fish in a hidden basement of this dorm. What do you want with his kind?”</p><p>“I see. You use the same terms as them. You must be very familiar with a mermaid then. You would never be able to understand my plans. Shinjiro, please get back in the tank.”</p><p>“No.” Says Shinjiro.</p><p>“What’s going on down here? Why do we have two basements?!” Yukari is peeking her head through the first basement floor.</p><p>“Get back to your studies, Yukari, this is far beyond you.” The chairman tries to shoo her away.</p><p>“What the hell is that thing!? Is it on a persona?!” Yukari gawks at shinjiro for a moment before scrambling out of the hole to go tell the others.</p><p>“Look what you’ve done now... they’re going to remove me from my position...” the chairman says with his head held low.</p><p>“Where is Miki.” Hamuko demands. Shinjiro winces.</p><p>“She was my very first test subject here. Did you know that all these mermaids can summon personas? Why do you think that is?”</p><p>“Where is she!”</p><p>“Unfortunately she couldn’t handle life over here. She was a fairly sick child. Shinjiro was there to see. Ask him.” The chairman laughs. Hamuko turns her head back to look at Shinjiro, who was looking shamefully down at the floor.</p><p>“It wasn’t my fault...” Shinjiro pleaded.</p><p>“I had the two have a friendly fight with their personas. After that battle she never fully gained her energy back. It’s like watching your first goldfish die. I never wanted that to happen to her.” Hamuko sucker punched the chairman in the face. </p><p>Junpei cheers from the hole in the ceiling. </p><p>“Fuck it up Hamuko! Get his ass!” Mitsuru slips in through the hole kicking the chairman on her landing. Then she backs up and holds her arms out to protect the fish man behind her.</p><p>“You’ve been experimenting with human life right under our noses!? You will pay a horrible price for this. I will have my father see to it that you are locked up for life. We all heard what you’ve said. It’s all over for you.” Junpei and Yukari fall through the hole a little less gracefully and land near the chairman.</p><p>The chairman pulls out a gun on them. </p><p>“Do you really think I’ll give up so easily? This is my life’s work. I need to know the full abilities of these mermaids. It could stop Tartarus forever!” That stops the group in their tracks before they shake off the notion.</p><p>“Even if that were true there’s no reason we can’t work together with them to find that way!” Yukari is passionate.</p><p>“You’re really going to ruin my life over a few mythical creatures? This is for your fathers sake, Yukari. I could give his life meaning if I figure out their secrets. Yukari kicks him in the head.</p><p>“Just stop it!” Sirens rush in from all around. Mitsuru works fast. Shinjiro hides as all the law enforcement come by and pack up the chairman to go. He leaves with blood streaming down his face and an eerie smile.</p><p>“well now what are we supposed to do?” Worries Junpei. The group is silent for a moment.</p><p>“Let’s just get some rest for the night. We’ll reconvene in the evening tomorrow. That should give us all enough time to reflect on our next steps.” Mitsuru finally says.</p><p>“What about the fish?” Junpei keeps side eyeing Shinji, who is still on his large seahorse persona.</p><p>“I’m sure he wants to go home, right?” Yukari tries to empathize.</p><p>“Yea. I got a place to go back to. Thank you for busting me out. I’ll be on my way.” Shinjiro starts to head out before Mitsuru stops him.</p><p>“Will you come back to the meeting tomorrow night too, what is your name?” </p><p>“Shinjiro. Why would I do that?”</p><p>“We would like to have you on our team.”</p><p>“No. Goodbye.” Shinjiro leaves. Nobody really has the mental fortitude to stop him again. </p><p>“I’ll talk to him tomorrow.” Hamuko promises. “Goodnight everybody!”</p><p>“G’nite Hamuko. Wait WHAT? You know where he’s going!?” Junpei says incredulously.</p><p>“I’m friends with his friend! If Shinji doesn’t want to come to the meeting I’m sure his friend might and then maybe he might!” Hamuko is beaming with confidence.</p><p>“...I’m going to bed.” Yukari gives up and heads to bed. The rest shortly follow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Ladybug</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A new beginning for everybody fish and human. Things are decided and accommodations are decided on.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day on the walk to school Junpei approaches Hamuko.</p><p>“How’d you even find these guys? Do you think they’re gonna join up with us in Tartarus?”</p><p>“It was pretty much a happy accident. I found one beached and we became fast friends. I would like if they joined us at all, but breathing is like an issue. And the lack of legs.”</p><p>“Let’s just get bathtubs with wheels for them both.” Junpei half jokes.</p><p>“The thought has crossed my mind.” Hamuko sighs. Junpei looks at her a little worried.</p><p>“How long has this been going on for?” Hamuko thinks for a moment.</p><p>“Hmmm... a couple weeks? Wait... oh no... 8 days.”</p><p>“Wait what!? Including today? Does that mean you decided to go on a sting operation on the only adult who helps us with Tartarus on the request of some fish after a week!?”</p><p>“It does seem that way... I helped out Yukari with less time and knowledge than that! I trust my friends.”</p><p>“I guess it hasn’t hurt you so far. Do you think those fish are going to come to the meeting tonight? If they’re persona users we’re definitely going to need their help.”</p><p>“They owe me big time now so they will show up. I’ll make sure of it.” Hamuko is a little devious.</p><p>“I’ll never understand you.” Junpei sighs.</p><p>After school Hamuko sprints to the ocean. Akihiko seems to be with Shinjiro talking about something or other. They stop as soon as she’s in view. </p><p>“Hiya guys! I’m glad to see you two back together again. I’m really sorry about your sister though, Akihiko...” Akihiko bows his head in silence for a while before letting out a deep sigh and looking up at her again.</p><p>“I always had a feeling that might’ve been the case. It’s just hard to have to accept it for real now. It hurts, but at least you got Shinji back alive. I can never thank you enough for all you’ve done for me.”</p><p>“I have a way you can.” Shinji glares at her.</p><p>“My club is having a meeting tonight, and you both are invited.” Shinjiro groans.</p><p>“I would love to go more than anything. Me and my persona are still figuring out how to get me on land though...”</p><p>“Shinjiro seems to have a pretty handy persona for that. I’m sure you can hitch a ride with him while you’re still figuring it out.” Akihiko looks over to Shinji with pleading eyes. Shinjiro breaks down quickly.</p><p>“I can’t be free for one day without having to get roped right back into that place.” Shinjiro bitches.</p><p>“I promise we won’t keep you captive this time.” Hamuko jokes. Shinjiro doesn’t look happy about that one.</p><p>“Cmon, Shinji. This girl saved all our lives. It’s the least we can do.” </p><p>“Of course we’re going, but I don’t have to be thrilled about it.” </p><p>“Thanks shinji. It’s really nice to have you back.” Shinji hides his face in embarrassment. </p><p>“We can all head over together! It’s going to be so much fun!”</p><p>“I’m excited.”</p><p>“It’s way too early to go now though so let’s bother Shinjiro with questions!”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Let’s ask Akihiko questions about Shinjiro!”</p><p>“No please, I’d much rather answer.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Akihiko crosses his arms.</p><p>“You’d add in something weird and fluffy to every answer.”</p><p>“Whatever. Ask him Hamuko he’s ready to answer.”</p><p>“What type of fish is your fish half?”</p><p>“Shark.”</p><p>“Do you have any family?”</p><p>“No.” Hamuko misses Akihikos “weird and fluffy” answers.</p><p>“Why?” He looks confused.</p><p>“It’s normal.” Now she looks confused. Akihiko finally breaks down and explains.</p><p>“The parents abandon their young and die shortly after.”</p><p>“Wow! My parents did that with me too!” Hamuko smiles. </p><p>“Are you sure you aren’t a fish too?” They laugh it off while shinjiro looks at them with concern.</p><p>“Ok more question time! What do you do for fun?”</p><p>“I haven’t really been allowed fun in a while. I like to fight.”</p><p>“Shinji is one of the best cooks I know. I doubt that’s changed.” Akihiko pipes up. Shinjiro punches his arm.</p><p>“Shuddup. She didn’t ask you.” Akihiko rubs at his arm with a wincing grin.</p><p>“The only thing that’s changed about you is your strength. Nice shot.” Shinjiro looks proud of himself. </p><p>“Hit me next!” Hamuko says with a shimmer in her eyes.</p><p>“Never.”</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“You saved me. I could never hurt you after that.”</p><p>“Ugh I should’ve asked you to hit me before I saved you. Fine. Hit me as hard as he did to you Akihiko!”</p><p>“I can’t. I’m not that strong yet. What did they feed you when you were captured?”</p><p>“A lot of protein powder and meat.”</p><p>“Protein powder? What is that?”</p><p>“Brown nasty powder for muscle growth. The guy thought I’d be an asset for his weird tarter sauce project so he forced me to be strong.”</p><p>“I wish I was kidnapped.” Akihiko says wistfully. Shinjiro punches him in the gut nowhere near as hard as the arm punch. It still makes Akihiko grunt.</p><p>“Did you ever go into Tartarus?”</p><p>“No. He didn’t want to lose another fish by sending me in alone.”</p><p>“He should’ve just let us go with you!”</p><p>“Yea well. I guess he figured keeping me hostage in basement 2 wouldn’t be cool with you.” </p><p>“Maybe if you were being held hostage in a dorm instead we would’ve been fine with it.” Shinjiro shoots her a look. She gives a look that tries to take back her words.</p><p>“Hamuko, I know you owe me a lot, but can I ask you another favor.” Akihiko asks determined.</p><p>“What is it, Akihiko?”</p><p>“Can you bring me some protein powder. I want to get even stronger.”</p><p>“Me too buddy. I’ll bring protein shakes for the both of us tomorrow.”</p><p>“You’re the best.” Shinji watches the weirdos interact with a confused stare.</p><p>“Do you want one too, Shinjiro?”</p><p>“No. Never again. I want real food like kelp and shrimp.” </p><p>Hamukos watch beeps. </p><p>“Oh shoot, it’s time for the meeting. Saddle up you two.” Shinjiro begrudgingly summons his persona and puts Akihiko on the seahorse behind the Gaia looking part.</p><p>“Why does your persona look like mine?” Akihiko asks</p><p>“You two grew up together, you’re bound to have some similarities!” Hamuko answers</p><p>“I grew up more so I get a horse with mine.” Shinji teases. Akihiko furrows his brow pondering if that’s really what happened. He’s taken out of his thoughts as the world passes by him. He’s never been deep inside the human territory before. It was gone in a flash as they sped to the meeting.</p><p>They somehow make it to the meeting without being spotted by anybody even with a giant seahorse roaming the streets. </p><p>Mitsuru opens the doors to greet them both. She’s wearing her Friday best to impress the hopefully new members of SEES. If they can even figure out a way for them to join.</p><p>“Hello Hamuko, Shinjiro, what might your name be?” </p><p>“Akihiko. Nice to meet you.” </p><p>“It’s a pleasure to meet you as well. I’m glad you could all make it tonight. Please follow me upstairs so we can begin.”</p><p>They all follow her upstairs so they can begin. There are two huge barrels full of water lined up with the rest of the normal chairs. Shinjiro looks less than thrilled about more confined human spaces, but Akihiko dives right into his. Shinjiro looks over to Hamuko who gives him a bright smile. He sighs and gets in his barrel. His persona dissipates into the air.</p><p>Mitsuru starts the meeting when everybody eventually arrives. Yukari was vaguely late getting out of the bath. Junpei was also late fashionably just because he has a fear of being too early to these things. </p><p>“Hello everybody, thank you for making it tonight. I know it was very short notice, but we have a lot to think over tonight. First order of business, everybody say a warm welcome to our guests tonight.”</p><p>“Hello.” Yukari and Junpei mutter.</p><p>“Thank you for having us.” Akihiko responds politely. Shinjiro is resting his chin on the rim of his barrel looking bored.</p><p>“Exellent. The next order of business is thinking about our futures. The chairman is gone but Tartarus is still a threat. Do we continue on as usual?”</p><p>“We have to do something, right? We can’t just leave it.” Yukari says without passion.</p><p>“I want to get rid of the dark hour chairman or no chairman. We have to get rid of the apathy.” Junpei says with more spirit.</p><p>“I agree entirely, I just wanted to make sure we were still on the same page. How about you, Hamuko?”</p><p>“I could never stop fighting when I know people are hurting from this. Let’s destroy that dark hour with our own hands!” </p><p>“That’s what I like to hear. Thank you. Now onto the next order of business. Akihiko and Shinjiro, what are your feelings on this matter?”</p><p>“Can somebody explain what’s going on to me a little better before I sign up for this?” Akihiko asks.</p><p>“Of course. Hamuko please explain it to him.”</p><p>Hamuko then explains everything to him in laborious detail. It takes so long Junpei starts to doze off.</p><p>“And that’s about all you need to know! Do you want to join now?” Akihiko has never looked more lost.</p><p>“Wait a minute... you’re the leader here?”</p><p>“Yep!” Akihiko takes a few more moments to process it all.</p><p>“So I get to practice fighting all while helping others in the end? That sounds like a great deal to me. I’m in.” Mitsuru looks relieved. Hamuko looks giddy.</p><p>“Thank you so much. You will be vital in the effort to end the dark hour. What are your feelings on the matter, Shinjiro?”</p><p>“I don’t like any of it, but if Aki’s going to risk his life I can’t leave him alone on it. I also may owe your leader a life long favor, so I’m in.” </p><p>“Yay Shinjiro! I’m so happy to have you with us!” Yukari looks skeptical.</p><p>“So it’s nice and all that we have two extra persona users, but how are we supposed to get them into Tartarus? Or even let them know when we’re going?”</p><p>“Yes well, that’s the last thing we have to discuss tonight. I can pull some strings to get two of the rooms modified into a habitat where you can live, if you would like that. Cell phones won’t really work in the ocean.”</p><p>“Not only do you want us on your saving the world scheme but you want us to move too?”</p><p>“Most of us had to move before we even knew we had to save the world!” Yukari snaps.</p><p>“I’m personally not too attached to sleeping in my home as long as I can still go back there.” Akihiko cuts in. Shinjiro nods in agreement.</p><p>“You would be able to go back anytime during the day and on the nights we don’t need to explore Tartarus on.” Junpei wakes up from his doze.</p><p>“how are we gonna explore with these guys? They can’t just keep a persona up forever right?”</p><p>“No. Definitely not. I will have my scientists start working on ways to either improve their lungs to be like ours or create a water tank for them.”</p><p>“What about the legs part?”</p><p>“Wheelchairs for now.” Mitsuru suggests.<br/>“You’re out of your mind if you think we’re pushing these fully grown men around while also carrying weapons in a tiring environment!” Yukari objects.</p><p>“I could get motorized ones.” Mitsuru tries again.</p><p>“Mitsuru I just don’t know if this can really work. Any technology you put on them could be smashed in one hit by a shadow and they might as well be dead.” Yukaris tone is kind but full of concern.</p><p>“I understand. You’re entirely right. We need to find something indestructible, but that might mean permanent changes.” Shinjiro looks miffed.</p><p>“What are you planning here? You want to dice us up in a lab and make us just like you? You think the only way to fight is the way you do it?” Yukari backs down.</p><p>“What do you suggest then?”</p><p>“I dont know yet. Body modification just doesn’t feel right to me. Not if there’s no reason for it.”</p><p>“Yes. You’re right. I’m sorry for bringing it up.” Mitsuru apologizes. Akihiko looks unsure of what to say. Junpei looks wigged out.</p><p>“I don’t like how fast we jumped to making this fish cyborgs. Would you do that to one of us if we got badly hurt?”</p><p>“With your consent, yes.” Mitsuru answers flatly. Junpei doesn’t look any less stressed by her answer.</p><p>“I don’t want to lose myself. If I’m fighting I want it to be with my own strength, not with a robots power.” Akihiko finally speaks. </p><p>“Do you know how to be mobile on land without your persona?”</p><p>“If we just walk on our hands everywhere we’ll be fine.” Akihiko sees no problem with this idea.</p><p>“You meathead, how are you supposed to fight anybody if your hands are on the ground. You’re a boxer not a kick boxer!” Shinji brutally reminds him. </p><p>“I do favor my fists over my fins but I could make it work. I want to become stronger. I guess it doesn’t matter exactly how.”</p><p>“They could move by hopping around like seals do!” Hamuko says excited.</p><p>“Hell no.” Shinjiro states firmly.</p><p>“Aw but it’d be so cute.” Yukari coos.</p><p>“I’d love to see that. It might attract more shadows but it’d be well worth it.” Junpei laughs. Akihiko looks embarrassed.</p><p>“I’d much rather walk on my hands.”</p><p>“This isn’t getting us much of anywhere, team. What if we just try machines for now while we get their lungs working better and then we can think about it from there. If their technology gets destroyed we can just use our personas to keep them alive, and Akihiko seems very confident in his hand walking abilities.” </p><p>“So like wheelchairs or what?” Hamuko asks.</p><p>“I was thinking real bionic legs. No body modification involved. Their tail fins can act as balance as if they were cats.” </p><p>“They’re going to have to be waterproof.” Yukari adds.</p><p>“My scientists will be on it. It will supply water to their gills as well.” Mitsuru seems confident.</p><p>“Is there any way you can modify me to be more popular with the ladies?” Junpei jokes.</p><p>“Science will never figure out that one.” Yukari says with attitude. Junpei feigns hurt but he seems happy to be sassed.</p><p>“Does that sound fine to the both of you?” Mitsuru asks the fish.</p><p>“I don’t know if I am fine with science never understanding Junpei’s unpopularity with women, but I guess it can’t be helped.” Akihiko says. Junpei looks like he just heard a gunshot.</p><p>“I meant the bionics.” </p><p>“I’m fine with it. Are you Shinji?”</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“Excellent. I will put in an order tomorrow. Your rooms should be done by this weekend so you can have free time to explore.”</p><p>“They always have free time. They don’t go to school.” Hamuko calls them out.</p><p>“No no no, that won’t do at all. I’ll get them both tutors as well starting Monday. That will help fill up their days.”</p><p>“Mitsuru where do you find all these people that are aware of fish people” Junpei wonders.</p><p>“I haven’t found them yet, but my father has a lot of connections. It won’t be difficult.”</p><p>“Wow. I wish I had a dad like that.”</p><p>“We have to learn human things too? Why!?” Shinjiro complains</p><p>“Everybody deserves an education.”</p><p>“I’ll tutor them!” Hamuko offers.</p><p>“No. You have to go to school too.”</p><p>“Aww...”</p><p>“Any other objections or questions?” Nobody speaks up.</p><p>“Excellent, I will start calling around and setting things up. Nice to have you both on the team. Meeting adjourned.” Everybody heads off to bed except for the fish who look lost.</p><p>“Goodnight guys! It’s time for you to go back to the ocean. Or you could sleep in the barrels if you’d like. That’d be cute it’s just like a sleepover!”</p><p>“Nuh-uh. I’ve been away from home too long to give it up even earlier than I have to. I’m going home. What about you, Aki? Do you need a ride back.”</p><p>“I’d rather not ride the seahorse back. I’ll stay here for the night. Goodnight Shinji.”</p><p>“Suit yourself, G’nite Aki.” Shinjiro summons his persona and gallops? Home. Akihiko tries to get comfy in his barrel.</p><p>“Do you need to lay down to sleep? I could let you sleep in my bathtub tonight!” Akihiko seems embarrassed by the idea.</p><p>“In your room? It’s ok. I can sleep upright.”</p><p>“What? It’s down the hall. We live in a dorm our stuff is communal unfortunately.”</p><p>“Oh. I think I’m fine in the barrel still.”</p><p>“What if I wheeled the barrel into my room! We could play truth or dare!”</p><p>“No thank you, I’m very tired. It was a long trip over.”</p><p>“Ok then! Goodnight Akihiko! Have a nice sleep. If you need anything let me know... somehow!” </p><p>“I will. Goodnight Hamuko.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sweet momma have things gone off the rails!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Centipede</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Boys night!!! BOYS NIGHT!!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning Hamuko shuffled out of bed early to go check on Akihiko. Mitsuru was already having a cup of tea with him. They were chatting about the room designs.</p><p>“Ah, good morning Hamuko. Akihiko was just informing me about all the accommodations his species needs.”</p><p>“Good morning! What does he need?”</p><p>“Well I stole some of the chairman’s old notes about what kind of water treatments are needed, but apparently he also needs several large sponges and patches of seaweed to share the habitat with.”</p><p>“They’re what’s in my home. I need them to sleep comfortably. Shinji uses an old mattress that was thrown into the ocean. I wouldn’t be surprised if he brings it with him.” </p><p>“How are they going to get in and out without water flooding the entire building?” </p><p>“State of the art air locks. They’ll have two separate doors.”</p><p>“Will we be able to get in there?”</p><p>“Not unless you want to drown.”</p><p>“Oh ok! Do you need me to help with anything?”</p><p>“I don’t believe so, but if something comes up I will be sure to ask.”</p><p>“Alrighty! I’m off to school then.” Hamuko bites in her cheek. She didn’t really know where Akihiko was going to be after school. She didn’t like the feeling in her stomach that she got when Mitsuru got to talk to him first thing this morning.</p><p>She sorts through her thoughts and feelings about all the new stuff that’s happened on her way to school. She’s interrupted by a shout from junpei who’s running to catch up.</p><p>“Hey! Hamuko! Cmon man wait up! You walk as fast as a steam train!” Hamuko waits up for him.</p><p>“Oh sorry Junpei. I was just taking some time to think. I didn’t mean to leave you behind.”</p><p>“It’s alright, it’s not like I don’t know how to get to school. What’s on your mind?”</p><p>“Akihiko and Shinjiro. So much is going to change with their joining.”</p><p>“I’m just excited to have some more guys on the team.”</p><p>“What’s that supposed to mean?” Yukari seems to swoop in.</p><p>“Yuka-tan! You know how it is. Us guys. We talk about man things.” Hamuko and Yukari do not know how it is.</p><p>“Do you want us to talk about those too?” Hamuko tries to be considerate.</p><p>“No thanks. I appreciate the idea, but I don’t think it’d work the same.” </p><p>“I wonder why.” Yukari says with an eye roll.</p><p>“Me too. What is guy stuff? Why can’t we talk about it?” Hamuko asks with earnest.</p><p>“Don’t worry Hamuko, guy stuff is exactly the same as girl stuff. Junpei is just shy.” Yukari lies.</p><p>“What! It’s not the same. We talk about things like how far we can spit and girls.”</p><p>“Oh! It’s exactly the same!” Hamuko looks delighted.</p><p>“Wait no there has to be more to this. There’s no way it’s the same...” Junpei panics.</p><p>“I’ll bring up scheduling a guys night with mitsuru as a bonding activity for SEES. Maybe it’ll be a good icebreaker with the new members!” Yukari looks like she’s about to bust out in laughter</p><p>“Yes Hamuko please do. I think that would really bring us together.” She adds. Junpei looks desperately for a way out of this.</p><p>“Don’t you think it’s called guys night for a reason?” He pleads.</p><p>“You guys are my favorite part of my night.” Hamuko says sincerely. It shuts up Junpeis objections entirely. Hamuko shoots mitsuru a text about it.</p><p>“I don’t know if that’s the right word for it, but I think it’s a great idea. We will have it tonight.” Mitsuru texts back. Soon everybody’s phone is beeping with texts.</p><p>“RSVP for guys night? I guess I have to.” Yukari bemoans.</p><p>Junpei quietly rsvp’s for guys night on his phone. How did it all go so wrong?</p><p>School passes by quickly and Hamuko jogs to the shore to check just in case to see if anybody is there. She doesn’t see head nor fin of anybody. She takes out her conch and blows on it. An irritated Shinji immediately surfaces with his ears covered.</p><p>“You shouldn’t blow that thing if you don’t need to. A simple shout would’ve sufficed.”</p><p>“Oh hiya shinjiro! I didn’t think you would be called by this thing. Akihiko gave it to me to call him.”</p><p>“Well sorry to disappoint you. Akihiko is pretty much deaf compared to most fish. I think he just assumed we could all be called that way because thats how he used to call us.”</p><p>“Yea I figured he wouldn’t come to this. I tried once early in the morning and nothing happened.”</p><p>“The guys a bonehead. Do you need anything? Akihiko is still at ‘our dorm’.”</p><p>“I just wanted to see if anybody was still around, and you were!”</p><p>“Lovely. I need to finish packing so I don’t have time for chatter today. Goodbye.” Shinjiro vanishes back in the water. Does he know about guys night? He doesn’t seem like he’s in the mood to be bothered again. Hamuko jogs back to the dorm.</p><p>When she gets back she finds a new nicer looking barrels sitting in the lounge room with the rest of the chairs. Akihiko is nowhere to be found. She walks up the stairs and checks up on the new rooms. The construction workers are hustling fast, no sign of anybody but them though.</p><p>Hamuko walks another flight of stairs and knocks on Yukari’s door. Yukari yells through it.</p><p>“What’s up?”</p><p>“Where’s Akihiko?”</p><p>“I’m not sure. I think Mitsuru took him out somehow hours ago.”</p><p>“They better not be late for guys night. Ok thanks Yukari!” Hamuko runs back down the stairs ready to head out again when Mitsuru comes in wheeling Akihiko in a wheel chair with a wet blanket covering his fins. Akihiko is now wearing clothes! A button down shirt with a sleeveless sweater on top? Weird choices Mitsuru.</p><p>“Oh hello Hamuko, do you like what I picked out for him? I figured the fish can’t keep running around shirtless all the time.” </p><p>“I think it’s cute! It matches his fins. Do you like it Akihiko? How do clothes feel?”</p><p>“I’m so tired. Clothes are kinda slippery and itchy at the same time. Trying on clothes is the worst thing I’ve endured yet.” Akihiko does look exhausted.</p><p>“Don’t be a child. We were hardly in there for more than 30 minutes.”</p><p>“I can only breathe so long with just a wet rag.” Akihiko objects.</p><p>“Let’s get him back in some water. Could you help me, mitsuru?” They each take a half of Akihikos arm under their shoulder and carefully put him into his new sleek barrel without getting his clothes wet. A poor atmosphere hangs in the room as realization strikes.</p><p>“I know his measurements now so I will buy him more waterproof clothes tomorrow.” Mitsuru skips past admitting fault.</p><p>“Thank you for everything, Mitsuru.” Akihiko says to soften the blow. He sheds off his nice new sweater and folds it before putting it off to the side. There’s not much to do about the dress shirt. </p><p>“Don’t be late for tonight’s event. Everybody rsvp’d.” She says before bowing out of sight and up to her room. </p><p>“Did she skip school today?” Hamuko quietly asks.</p><p>“No.” Akihiko answers.</p><p>“When does your school start?” </p><p>“Mitsuru said tomorrow. I don’t know what that’ll even entail but I guess I’m excited to learn all I can about my new home.” </p><p>“You’re a good sport Akihiko.”</p><p>“Really? Which one am I?”</p><p>“It’s an expression to show that you take new things with a good attitude, but if you were a real sport you’d be boxing or soccer.”</p><p>“Why soccer?” Hamuko forgot he was a fish again. She shrugs and makes a weird facial expression.</p><p>“One of those gut feelings I guess. Speaking of I’m kinda glad I was dragged clothes shopping today. I had no idea people on the surface wore so many clothes all the time. All I had ever seen were... half naked people on the beach.” Akihiko admits with a twinge of hesitation.</p><p>“What about me? I usually wore clothes.”</p><p>“I thought you might’ve been an odd one out or something.” </p><p>“You couldn’t have asked?”</p><p>“I didn’t want to be rude.”</p><p>“You’re very kind Akihiko.” Hamuko says not knowing what else to think. </p><p>The time passed as they chattered about Akihiko and his new surface life until everybody started to slowly stream in for guys night. Junpei and Shinji look like they’d rather be anywhere else. Yukari looks a little weirded out. She never thought it’d get so far. Mitsuru starts off their guys night.</p><p>“Hello everybody and welcome to guys night if that’s what our leader wishes for it to be called. I was told Junpei was the one who wanted us to gather for this. What sort of things happen at these ‘guys nights’?” Junpei slinks further down in his seat.</p><p>“Well, usually they’re a little different from this, but I guess I can work with it.” He stands up with a new resolve. Fully committed to the guys night he accidentally caused.</p><p>“As the leader of this activity I want to change the name from guys night to sleepover. Any opposed?”</p><p>“Yes, isn’t every night a sleepover for us since we all live in the same dorm?” Yukari opposes. Junpei looks stumped.</p><p>“Yes. Anyways for my first order of sleepover activity, I believe it is time to play spin the bottle!” Yukari keeps up a tough front at the idea but it’s clear her eyes drift over to the fish. She doesn’t object.</p><p>“Doesn’t that seem a little inappropriate, Iori?” Mitsuru decides to object for her.</p><p>“Not at all. It will promote team bonding for sure! Is anybody else opposed?” Shinjiro decides to speak up.</p><p>“I don’t have an opposition, but I do have a question. What is spin the bottle?” </p><p>“Well uh basically we uhm spin a bottle and whoever it lands on has to kiss that person.”</p><p>“Are you out of your damned mind?! No way I’m kissing whoever the bottle tells me to!”</p><p>“You can just hug them if you want! Whatever you’re more comfortable with, dude.” Shinji still doesn’t look thrilled, but he stops his protest.</p><p>Junpei makes a bottle appear seemingly out of nowhere and he begins with his turn first. He spins it and it lands on himself.</p><p>“Shit... lemme go again.”</p><p>“No way, Stupei. You have to kiss yourself for that one.” Yukari jabs. Junpei kisses his own hand with a pout. </p><p>Yukari takes her turn and spins the bottle. It lands on Hamuko. Hamuko jumps out of her seat to go hug Yukari and give her a kiss on the cheek. Yukari looks all bashful with a coy smile on her face afterwards. </p><p>Next is Mitsuru’s turn. She spins the bottle and it lands on Shinji. The shock on his face was indescribably adorable. Mitsuru somewhat shyly walks over to him and offers him a handshake. Shinjiro accepts it hesitantly feeling ashamed at his overreaction.</p><p>The bottle was then passed to him. It was his time to spin. He stared at the bottle as if he was trying to shatter it with his gaze.</p><p>“Hey, Shinji, I think you’re supposed to spin it.” Akihiko loudly whispers to him. Akihiko gets his arm punched lighter than usual. </p><p>When shinjiro spins the bottle it lands on Junpei. Junpei looks at the bottle and looks up in fear as the unfriendly mug he has to touch in some way.</p><p>“Hey so uhh we can just shake hands if you’d like?” Shinjiro wordlessly motions Junpei over to him with a finger. Junpei feels like time slows down with every step he takes. Shinjiro outstretches his arms and junpei thinks they’re going for his throat, but instead they gently wrap around him for a quick moment until shinjiro decides to completely retract into his barrel.</p><p>Junpei looks extremely confused but thankful as he toddles back to his seat. Shinjiro is deep in his barrel brooding. Akihiko looks like he’s about to crack up. </p><p>It’s back to Junpei’s turn as he spins the bottle and it lands on Hamuko. Junpei looks euphoric at the sight. </p><p>“We can do whatever you feel comfortable with, Hamuko, but I would be motivated for the rest of our battles together if you kissed me~” Junpei says jokingly. Hamuko doesn’t get in and she can’t pass up a free motivation boost for her team. She takes junpei by the chin and gives him a soft peck on the lips.</p><p>The whole room goes coldly silent. Akihiko feels something uneasy inside himself. Yukari is the first to break the silence.</p><p>“Ewww Hamuko he was just kidding! You didn’t have to do that!” </p><p>“Huh? What’s the harm in it either way! I kissed you too!” Yukari acts flustered.</p><p>“Yea but you only kissed me on the cheek! And I’m not a weird pervert either!”</p><p>“Do you want me to kiss you on the lips too? I didn’t think you’d be comfortable with it.” Hamuko asks in earnest.</p><p>“No no, I’m ok... You’re just very bold.” </p><p>“thank you! Does that mean it’s my turn now?” The whole room is still silent. Mitsuru is stone faced as she’s going through assessments in her head. Junpei has died happy and is sitting dreamily in his chair. Shinjiro is still deep in his barrel. Akihiko is biting his cheek with his eyebrows in a straight line.</p><p>“I’ll take that as a yes.” Hamuko spins the bottle and it lands on Akihiko. Hamuko tries to keep a poker face but her excitement leaks through. Akihikos weird faces melt away as she comes towards him. From that of a jealous beast to a determined ram. </p><p>“I need a lot of motivation since I am new to the team.” He says and his confidence starts to crumble. Hamuko takes him by his new collar and drags him in for a passionate smooch. It lasts only a few seconds but it’s enough to make Akihiko see stars like he’s just gotten a good knock to the head. </p><p>“Is that your best attack?” Akihiko asks because he’s weird and that was his first kiss.</p><p>“Hehe, I have one better.” Hamuko says with a wink before she heads back to her seat. The room is stunned cold again. Junpei looks a little hurt at how good Akihiko got it. Akihiko is reeling in his barrel with a smile on his face.</p><p>“I believe we should perhaps move onto a new activity.” Mitsuru suggests trying to fix this team building travesty. </p><p>“Let’s play truth or dare!” Hamuko asks somehow bubblier than usual. The three humans look to her with dread. </p><p>“What if we just played “would you rather” instead?” Yukari suggests.</p><p>“Ok! You go first Yukari since you suggested it.” </p><p>“Fine fine. Junpei, would you rather fight Shinjiro or Mitsuru.” </p><p>“What type of question is that? I’d hope I’d have to fight neither but I think I’d have to go with Mitsuru-senpai. Her persona is weak to mine and all.” Mitsuru looks like she’s making a mental note of that.</p><p>“That means it’s my turn right? Hamuko, would you rather be handcuffed to Yuka-tan or Mitsuru-senpai for the day.”</p><p>“Hmmm, that’s a tough one! Mitsurus constant studying and clerical work seems kinda boring! But I think it might be a little embarrassing to try and do archery practice with Yukari, so I guess Mitsuru is my choice!” Mitsuru takes out a notebook to actually jot these down. </p><p>“Akihiko truth or da- I mean uh hmm would you rather living with us or back in your ocean?”</p><p>“Don’t put me on the spot with that, I haven’t even started to live here yet.”</p><p>“Fine I’ll come up with a new one. Would you rather stay here forever or go home?” </p><p>“That’s the same question!”</p><p>“Oh you’re right. Uhm would you rather eat crickets or beef for the rest of your life?”</p><p>“Crickets definitely, they have far more protein.” The humans recoil in disgust. Shinjiro nods in agreement.</p><p>“Do you really eat bugs that much?” Junpei asks out of morbid curiosity.</p><p>“I don’t understand why you wouldn’t. Bugs are plentiful and can be an efficient part of any diet. It’s foolish to overlook them as a food group.” Shinjiro explains. Everybody’s mouth is agape. This is the first time the guy says more than one sentence and it’s about nutrition.</p><p>“Wow Shinjiro, you really seem to know a lot about this stuff. Do you have any other tips?” Yukari would try anything at this point. Shinjiro looks around to see everybody’s eager eyes on him and he retracts back into his barrel.</p><p>“Err. No.” He sinks down even further. Junpei decides this is a good time to destroy guys night.</p><p>“Whew well I dunno about you guys, but I’m beat! G’nite everybody. Thanks for the guys night.” He rushes up the stairs before anybody can object. </p><p>“Yeah I had a lot of fun. We should do this again sometime.” Yukari says with a genuine smile before she heads off.</p><p>“Your room accommodations should be done tonight if you two are ready to stay with us. If you need another night at home I understand. Thank you for participating in this with us. I feel it brought us all closer together. Good night.” Mitsuru heads up to bed after her farewell.</p><p>“That was so exciting! I hope we do that every week. Did you guys enjoy it?” Hamuko beams.</p><p>“Yea I did. It was nice to get to know everybody better.” Akihiko says with gusto.</p><p>“I’m exhausted. I’m headin up to my room.” Shinjiro summons his persona and leaves up the stairs. Hamuko looks glad that he seems to be adjusting.</p><p>“Shinji had fun. I’ve never seen him slip up on keeping his little cooking hobby secret before. I think this is going to be really good for him.” Akihiko whispers. Shinjiro blasts a beam of ice an inch away from his barrel. </p><p>“Goodnight Shinjiro!” Hamuko says in a murmur. She forgot how good his hearing was. Akihiko looks at the ice blast with a fearful fondness.</p><p>“So where are you sleeping tonight Akihiko?” </p><p>“I would hope in my new room Mitsuru spent a lot of money on. Sleeping back in the ocean at this point seems like a waste.” </p><p>“I’m so excited about you living here. I wish you could go to school with us too instead of having a dumb tutor...” </p><p>“Maybe if I get caught up with the tutor I can go to school with you? I’ll do my best for the possibility.” Hamuko smiles absolutely smitten with this fish’s resolve.</p><p>“I believe in you. Do you need help getting to your room? I can carry you!”</p><p>“No thank you, I think my persona can handle it. Not that I don’t trust you but if you couldn’t hold me up a week ago I doubt you could now, and I’m not risking the injury.” </p><p>“Rude.” Hamuko makes a pouty face at him. Akihiko shoos away the warm fuzzies that surface within him.</p><p>“Rude is keeping us both from pulling a muscle. We need to stay sharp for Tartarus soon. I appreciate the offer though.” Akihiko calls out his persona which easily lifts him out of the water like a bride.</p><p>“Goodnight Akihiko. See you in the morning.”</p><p>Goodnight Hamuko.” Akihiko was carried up into his new room by his persona. He looked around at his new home away from home. It was far nicer than the ocean he used to live in that's for sure. The water was cleaner and easier to breathe, he had real equipment for working out now. He had a door. He settled down on his new spongy bed and contently sighed. He could get used to this.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>thank you all for reading and the kind words i love you all very very much i hope you have a nice day</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Golden Stag Beetle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The team finally go to Tartarus but before that they go shopping</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>ive made a lot of interesting choices</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Hamuko stretches and yawns as she’s rudely awoken by a loud knock. </p><p>Knock. knock. knock.</p><p>“Hello?” Hamuko loudly questions.</p><p>“Hamuko! You are in there! Come out when you can Mitsuru gave us new movement devices for the land!” Akihiko sounds excited. Hamuko can’t help but wonder if they have knocking where he grew up.</p><p>She gets dressed and peeks outside seeing an Akihiko in what can only be described as a high tech round walkers generally used for babies. It held him by the hips and it has wheels at the bottom. It doesn’t seem extremely comfortable.</p><p>“How do you move in that thing?” Hamuko tries to sound supportive.</p><p>“It’s just like swimming, but far less effective. I can get around now at least and it’s far less draining then using a persona. Mitsuru said her team at the lab sent this as a temporary fix as they try and make something better.”</p><p>“And you can breath in it?” </p><p>“Yes there’s water flowing through the whole thing and since it’s directly on my gills it’s easy to breathe. Lung training is beginning today as well.” Akihiko seems entirely happy with all of this. </p><p>“How does shinjiro feel about all this?” Hamuko can’t imagine he’s loving it.</p><p>“He hasn’t complained about it at all yet, but he’s made it clear that he doesn’t want to be tutored still.” </p><p>“I hope Mitsuru will let him wait on it until he wants to learn about us.”</p><p>“That could take forever. He’s a stubborn old crab.” Akihiko chuckles.</p><p>“Do you want to say that to my face?” Shinjiro comes rolling in in his big fish baby walker trying to seem threatening. Hamuko covers her mouth to hide her laughing.</p><p>“Looking good Shinjiro, do you like the way it feels?” Hamuko is certain that if ole Shinji knew that babies use those things on the surface he’d never use one. </p><p>“I think it’s a fair compromise.” He says that like he isn’t enjoying every minute of his new mobility. It’s very feasible that the boys could go outside the dorm like this. If they wanted to get mocked. Though the idea does get Hamuko thinking.</p><p>“now that you guys can move around like us would you ever think of going out on the town or out to eat?”</p><p>“I don’t believe that would be wise. They are still rare creatures our society isn’t used to. I fear the dangers they may face if they go out.” Mitsuru seems to show up out of nowhere, but it makes sense she does live on this floor.</p><p>“I would like to go out on the town. I could protect myself.” Akihiko says flatly.</p><p>“I would go with him to make sure he’s safe!” Hamuko chimes in. Akihiko smiles at the notion. Mitsuru sighs.</p><p>“I do trust you both I just don’t trust the general public.”</p><p>“Were way stronger than the general public. Especially if we work together! Didn’t you go clothes shopping with him just the other day?”</p><p>“He was in a wheelchair and covered up.” </p><p>“Am I gonna get clothes too?” Shinjiro interrupts the bickering.</p><p>“Yes I would like to see you with some sort of shirt on. I’ve found a new waterproof line for the both of you.” Akihiko doesn’t look thrilled at the idea of more clothes shopping.</p><p>“What if we all go out clothes shopping together with no coverings and see how things go? Then we can say if they should or shouldn’t go outside on their own.” Hamuko offers.</p><p>“That’ll be the best way to test the waters.  I believe we should. Is now a good time for everyone?”</p><p>“Yes!” Hamuko answers for all of them. The fish definitely don’t have their day planners booked up at this point.</p><p>“First I would like to put something on Shinjiro. Just a shirt.” Mitsuru pleads.</p><p>“I don’t think any of the shirts here will fit him. I’ll go raid junpei’s room!” Hamuko runs up into Junpei’s room before anybody can object. She comes back with a huge dress shirt that fits good enough on shinjiro.</p><p>“Great! Let’s go!” Nobody gets any time to mention how messed up that was.</p><p>The four of them walk/wheel slowly on their way to the clothing store. Hamuko set up a system of hand holding so they don’t lose eachother. Akihiko and mitsuru are on the edges with Hamuko and shinjiro in the middle.</p><p>“Why on earth are we doing this? Don’t you think if somebody attacks us we’ll be far less prepared like this?” Shinjiro complains. Hamuko loosens her grip on his hand.</p><p>“Well it’s more for keeping us all together than for protection from random assailants.”</p><p>“If somebody does attack us I still have one arm free.” Akihiko sounds confident. Shinjiro would facepalm if his hands weren’t occupied. Though Hamuko loosened her grip on him he didn’t want to let go.</p><p>“I don’t think we have to be so cautious! It’s just a walk in the city and there are four of us. We might be acting way too paranoid.” Hamuko tries to calm everybody down.</p><p>“If that’s how you think then why did you tell us all to hold hands?” Mitsuru questions.</p><p>“Hehe, well... Yknow. I thought it would bring us closer together. I also didn’t want to lose anybody! The boys are new to this way of moving. I thought if we walked with them like parents it’d help.”</p><p>“Why did Akihiko get to stay on the end then? Shouldn’t he be in the middle with Shinjiro?” Mitsuru asks rolling with the punches at this point.</p><p>“Oh, uhh, I thought they would fight if they had to hold hands.” </p><p>“I’m not some raging monster looking for a fight all the time. I can hold hands with him just fine if you made me.” Shinjiro retorts.</p><p>“Ok well do you want me to switch with him then?” </p><p>“...no.” </p><p>“No more complaining then.” </p><p>“You are a great parent, Hamuko.” Mitsuru compliments. Hamuko feels bashful.</p><p>“I couldn’t do it without you at my side.” She compliments in turn. Akihiko feels weird in a bad way and subconsciously tightens his grip on hamuko’s hand. Hamuko feels bubbly in her cheeks at the newfound pressure. </p><p>She squeezes his hand back on purpose keeping him in her peripherals to watch his reaction. He visibly snaps out of whatever he was in and looks off to the side sheepishly. Hamuko grins to herself mischievously.</p><p>After a while they finally reach the clothing store. Walking speed is far slower when you’re hand in hand as a group of four. They got a lot of funny looks but no malicious activity. They all head to the waterproof clothing line. The price tags make hamuko’s head spin. The fish have no concept of human currency so they aren’t bothered. Mitsuru is rich so she might as well be a fish.</p><p>“While we’re here I suggest that we split up. We’ve lost a lot of daylight just getting to here and we have to prepare for Tartarus tonight. I’ll let you split us off, leader.” Mitsuru requests. Shinjiro feels like he’s never going to get used to her being called “leader.” Not that he didn’t believe in her abilities but the title was weird.</p><p>“I’ll go with Akihiko you go with shinjiro.” Hamuko says too quicky.</p><p>“Huh?” The rest say.</p><p>“Me and Akihiko. You and Shinjiro.” She calms herself down to say like a human person. </p><p>“Alright. Well meet back up with you at this same spot when you’re done.” Mitsuru says as she leads Shinjiro into the mess of clothes. </p><p>Hamuko takes Akihiko by the hand and wanders him into a specific section of clothes. Red and white clothes. </p><p>“See anything you like?” Hamuko asks like there’s much of a choice.</p><p>“...eerrghh. This is one of those things where I’m supposed to say, “just you.” Right? Ugh that’s so cheesy.” Akihiko embarrasses himself. Hamuko grins in a silly way.</p><p>“You could say that if you did like me! That would be the right use of it. Though we are also clothes shopping. I’ll let you try again. See anything you like?”</p><p>“..........” Akihiko makes about ten different expressions and none of them end with him saying anything. Hamuko is eating this up.</p><p>“It’s ok, Akihiko. Whenever you’re ready. See anything you like?” His face gets red.</p><p>“Just you!” Akihiko practically shouts. Hamuko feels that directly go from her stomach to her face as she gets all blushy. She doesn’t care about how loud he just yelled it.</p><p>“Wow Akihiko you’re sooo amazing using lines like that and on only your third try? Your the spitting image of cool!” Hamuko was being completely honest no matter how sarcastic the actual phrasing seemed. Akihiko rubs his hand on his neck.</p><p>“Huh? Do you really think so? I mean uhm, let’s look at clothes now. I’m sorry about that pickup line. How’s this sweater look?” Akihiko picks up the exact thing mitsuru bought him yesterday but waterproof.</p><p>“I don’t know I’d need to see you try it on. Pick a few clothes and we’ll go to the changing room.” Akihiko gives her an exhausted look.</p><p>“I can’t clothes shop for you I dunno what you like!” Akihiko sighs before he quickly picks up three shirts that look mostly identical.</p><p>“I will try these on and buy 7 copies if they fit.”</p><p>“I’ll escort you to the changing room then.” Hamuko hooks her arm around his and gently totes him to the changing room. She goes inside along with him.</p><p>“Waitwaitwait wait wait. What are you doing in here too?” Akihiko stammers.</p><p>“What? I need to see how they fit on you.”</p><p>“Can’t you wait outside and I’ll show you?”</p><p>“What are you embarrassed about? I knew you as shirtless for most of my time knowing you. You’ve got nothing to hide.”</p><p>“I didn’t know it was weird then! Now I know and it feels way weirder.” Akihiko looks at her with pleading eyes.</p><p>“Ok darling, I’ll leave you to it then. You better show me every outfit.” Hamuko turns on her heels and walks out. She wonders if Mitsuru is having the same problem. </p><p>Akihiko comes out fairly quickly with his first shirts on. It looks fine on him. Hamuko gives him a thumbs up. He then goes back in to put on a sleeveless sweater by itself.</p><p>“Work it Akihiko! Show off those muscles!” Hamuko cheers as he rolls out of the changing room. Akihiko gladly strikes a pose to show off his muscles. What a show it was too. As Akihiko goes back into the room to change Hamuko fans her face with her hand like a sinner in church.</p><p>Akihiko comes back out in his first clothes and holds the winner of clothes. Just a sleeveless sweater. Hamuko will not stop him from this choice. </p><p>They meet up with Shinjiro and Mitsuru at the meeting place. Shinjiro looks like he picked out a few clothes of varying burgundy tones and very big. Whatever he feels comfortable in. </p><p>“We had success in our mission, how about you?” Mitsuru asks.</p><p>“Great success! Let’s go home I’m beat.” </p><p>“Don’t you dare be, we’re going to Tartarus tonight.” Akihiko says pumped up.</p><p>“I just need to laze in the lounge and I’ll be fine.” Hamuko yawns.</p><p>“You better be right about that.” Shinjiro vaguely threatens. </p><p>The gang amble home in the same formation as how they got there, all of them too worn out from clothes shopping to cause much mischief. When they all get home they relax in the lounge. A question immediately strikes Hamuko.</p><p>“You guys can’t sit in those can you? Do you ever sit?” </p><p>“I guess we don’t now.” Shinjiro remarks.</p><p>“There’s no real pressure on us to use our fins to stay upright either. I think we’re always technically laying down.” Akihiko says as his best answer.</p><p>“You’re being suspended in the air in a comfortable manner. It is not lying down because you aren’t getting the support you need on your back and head. You are standing with a walker.” Mitsuru clarifies.</p><p>“Do you guys feel tired from that?” Hamuko asks unsatisfied.</p><p>“It’s pretty similar to how we stay upright in the ocean, so no. Swimming takes the same amount of energy as usual.” Akihiko answers. </p><p>“It sounds exhausting to live in the ocean if you guys don’t automatically stay upright.” Hamuko sighs.</p><p>“When do you ever have to stay upright anyways in the water. We don’t fall like you do.” Shinjiro explains. Mitsuru nods along already hearing this from the lab. </p><p>“Being restricted to one axis all the time sounds Harder.” Akihiko halfway compliments. </p><p>“Hmm. I never really thought about it that way! I guess we all have to think a little out of our own boxes to understand eachother.” Hamuko beams. </p><p>“Well spoken, Hamuko.” Mitsuru smiles. The team chatter until the rest of team members come down to the lounge awaiting their meeting before Tartarus. Junpei comes in more fired up than usual.</p><p>“You have to put me in there today, Hamuko, I’m really to bash some shadow skulls! If they have any.” He smiles wide. The team of the night seems clear enough.</p><p>“How are you feeling today, Yukari?” Hamuko checks. Yukari shrugs. </p><p>“Let him go, I’d love a day off.” </p><p>“It’s settled then. Me, Junpei, and our fishy friends are going to Tartarus tonight. Let’s go! Enjoy your day off Yukari!” Yukari waves at them as they all rush off to the area Tartarus appears in.</p><p>At the gates of Tartarus they all begin stretching. The fish do most of the stretches the humans do but the fin stretches are all weird versions of how you would move to crack your spine. Hamuko finds herself wondering how X-Rays of these guys would look. Are they all spine in there? That can’t be true. Hamuko’s thoughts are interrupted by Junpei’s rallying cry.</p><p>“Let’s get in there and kick some shadow ass! Stop sleeping on the job or I’ll have to become leader, heheh.” Hamuko quickly realizes Junpei is in his show off mode. New people in Tartarus must of set him off into being like this. If it makes him hit harder Hamuko couldn’t care less.</p><p>“Are you fish ready? Do you feel secure in your gear? How’s your weapon feeling, Shinjiro?” </p><p>“Light as air. Let’s get in there.” Shinjiro confirms his readiness.</p><p>“I feel Junpei’s enthusiasm, let’s bash some shadows into smithereens!” Akihiko says punching his fist into his hand with a determined smile. </p><p>“Then let’s go!” Hamuko leads them all in to the correct floor. When she spots an enemy she gets excited. </p><p>“Alright crew, this is our first battle. Let’s get in there and give em hell!” Everybody gives their nod of approval before they sneak attack the enemy. 3 of them. Weak to ice. </p><p>“Akihiko, summon your persona and hit them with an ice attack, I want to see what you’re made of!” Hamuko directs. Akihiko whips out his evoker and shoots himself in the head. Gaia appears and does an alright amount of damage to the shadow. </p><p>“Good work akihiko! Now just do that for me two more times! One on each enemy!” Akihiko follows orders. </p><p>“Ok now since they’re all down we can go in for an all out attack!” Hamuko motions her arm in a follow me motion as she runs towards the stunned enemies.</p><p>“I’ve been waiting for this.” Akihiko says. They all run/swim to the enemies and beat the overloving life out of them, winning the battle. Shinjiro looks miffed.</p><p>“Why didn’t the rest of us get to do anything?”</p><p>“Trust me, Shinjiro, it’s a good thing. When we all get to do something that means somethings going wrong.” Junpei casually explains.</p><p>“Do things go wrong often?” Shinjiro asks.</p><p>“Oh all the time-“ Hamuko claps a hand over Junpei’s mouth. </p><p>“What he means to say is sometimes we run into really strong enemies that can’t be killed off by one person even with good strategy. Right Junpei?”</p><p>“Yes I was getting to that part.” He bemoans.</p><p>“I trust my life in your hands, Hamuko. I know you’re leading us the best you can.” Akihiko says with a genuine smile. Hamuko gets hit with a short wave of bashfulness before she regains her composure.</p><p>“Thank you Akihiko. I wish Junpei would feel the same.” </p><p>“Hey! I trust you with my life too, I promise!” Junpei defends.</p><p>“This isn’t the time for this. Look.” Shinjiro points to a shadow in the corner.</p><p>“Good eye, Shinji.” Akihiko compliments.</p><p>“You saved us a lot of trouble. Let’s sneak up on this one.” Hamuko directs. They sneak up in formation and Hamuko strikes the back of the shadow with her hockey stick. </p><p>Hamuko orders everybody to let shinjiro get the first hit on this one. He swims up with a moderate speed and strikes the shadow in the back with his large axe. It goes down in one hit but he doesn’t get another chance. </p><p>“Good job Shinjiro!”</p><p>“Doesn’t feel that good if I only took out one.” </p><p>“Don’t you have any Bufu skills?” </p><p>“I don’t have any magic skills.” Hamuko hides her worry. She’ll find use for him somehow. Somehow...</p><p>“Maybe you’ll learn some! It’s not the end of the world if you don’t!” The rest of the battle goes smoothly. After a while of dungeon crawling and successful fights they reach the mini boss. </p><p>“I don’t think we should fight that thing today. We probably need Yuka-tan to survive.” Junpei suggests.</p><p>“Do any of you have any dia skills?” Hamuko asks. Akihiko and shinjiro shrug. Do they even know? </p><p>“How would I know if I have those?” Akihiko asks. </p><p>“Well you look into your heart and to the left is the main menu and then you go into status and check your abilities.” Hamuko says with normalcy as everybody grows fearful of her.</p><p>“Can you guys not see that thing too?” Hamuko has more worry now. The gang shake their heads no.</p><p>“Forget about it... I’ll check.” Hamuko looks into her heart and takes a left to check the skill charts. Shinjiro surprisingly has a dia skill.</p><p>“Shinjiro! You can heal! I think we’ll be just fine in this fight as long as you follow my lead.”</p><p>“I haven’t been doing anything but following your lead.” Shinjiro points out.</p><p>“Keep up the good work.” Hamuko bitterly praises. Junpei shrugs.</p><p>“Well if you think we can do it then we might as well try.” The team start the battle with the mid boss. 3 shadows no weaknesses. All tables. Akihiko immediately throws a Bufu out onto one of them. There was a weakness after all. He hits twice more and soon they’re going in for an all out attack.</p><p>After their attack, they get attacked. Junpei gets walloped pretty bad by all three of them. </p><p>“Hey Shinjiro... little help over here.” Junpei coughs.</p><p>“Yea just let me figure it out real quick I wasn’t born a magician all that man made me do in the pod was fight.” Shinjiro speaks quickly as he’s fumbling with different standing positions and hand gestures until Akihiko points his evoker at him and shoots him.</p><p>“Oh yea... didn’t think those were the way to heal.” Shinjiro glares at Akihiko but as he heals junpei the glare turns to a calm expression. The rest of the battle goes off without much of a hitch. The team look exhausted afterwards.</p><p>“I’m beat, let’s go back. It’s been a long day for these fishy dudes.” Junpei bemoans. Hamuko nods.</p><p>“I’m so proud of all of you. We make a great team! I’m so glad you two joined us. Let’s get home and get some sleep!” Akihiko fist pumps into the air with a triumphant smile on his face. </p><p>“Same time tomorrow?” He asks cockily.</p><p>“Haha! You wish! We’re all going to need a few days recovering from that, especially you two fresh meats.” Hamuko teases.</p><p>“No way! I’ll be back and training tomorrow for sure.” </p><p>“Whatever you say, Akihiko.” Junpei says with heavy doubt. The gang head back out of Tartarus to get praised by Mitsuru before they all head off to bed.</p><p>“Goodnight team! Thank you for all your hard work today. I hope you all rest up well! Well be back in Tartarus in a few days.” </p><p>“Goodnight.” They all say back in their staggered times as they trudge up to bed. Hamuko falls face first into her own bed and drifts off quickly with pride on how well the new members are doing. Maybe this wasn't such a crazy idea after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Stickbug</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Akihiko has a sick day</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning Akihiko is hit hard by exhaustion. He understands everything now. Tennis practice really was running Hamuko ragged. Just a single night in the damned place felt like an entire triathlon. But one where you win a cold at the end. Akihiko wasn’t the best with similes. </p><p>It was 6am and he felt like shit but a little fatigue wasn’t going to keep him down. He kicks himself out of bed with his tailfin and forces himself upright to swim to his punching bag. He swings a few good jabs and hooks at it until his body starts kicking him for it. </p><p>After a while he slumps onto his punching bag, groaning like a zombie. His gills flare out to help him suck in more air as he keeps a gross look of agony on his face. Shinjiro knocks on the door of their conjoined rooms. </p><p>“Aki? How ya holdin up? I feel like shit but at least I’m kinda used to this stuff.”</p><p>“I’m great. I’ll be down for breakfast so don’t worry about me.” </p><p>“You’re more beaten up than I thought if you’re saying stuff like that. Take it easy today I wouldn’t leave the room. Fresh water is best. I’ll bring your breakfast up to you.” Shinjiro was always so motherly when nobody else was around. Kinda makes Akihiko feel like vomiting past his appreciation.</p><p>“I’m fine, Shinji, honest. I won’t do anything but hang out in the lounge today.” Akihiko waves off the concern. He hates being cooped up in his room all day.</p><p>“Whatever you say.” Shinjiro sighs. Akihiko hears the sound of his airlock doors moments later. Akihiko takes a few more minutes slumped over his punching bag waiting for a second wind of energy to hit. </p><p>It doesn’t seem like it ever will. Akihiko’s patience runs out and he forces himself out of his room and into his baby walker swimming device. He wheels down the stairs to smell breakfast being cooked and his new friends gathered at the table.</p><p>“Mornin, Akihiko. How are you feeling after last night?” Junpei asks. He has bags under his eyes but his smile is easygoing. </p><p>“Super super great. I could take on the entirety of Tartarus. Maybe tomorrow though...” Akihiko admits.</p><p>“So you aren’t feeling well. I can’t say I’m surprised. None of us feel great after being in there.” Yukari sympathizes. She’s very chipper after her day off. Mitsuru looks as composed as usual but her expression is far more relaxed.</p><p>“Is Hamuko still not awake? I will go get her.” Mitsuru stands up swiftly and looks like she’s putting a lot of effort into walking as she goes back up the stairs. Even if Mitsuru only plays lookout, it must take a lot of energy.</p><p>After a few minutes Mitsuru comes back down the stairs and Hamuko slowly follows behind rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. </p><p>“Good morning crew! Is everybody feeling ship shape this morning? I feel fit as a fiddle!” Hamuko is definitely tired. Everybody murmurs their responses on how they’re feeling.</p><p>After a few minutes of banter the breakfast is ready from the chef Mitsuru hired. She hires one to make breakfast everytime they complete a milestone in Tartarus. It keeps the food motivated ones driven. It keeps the rest fed. </p><p>“Did you guys have fun in Tartarus last night? Shinjiro you’re looking a lot better than I thought you would today.” Hamuko inquires. </p><p>“I was tested frequently by that freak of yours. I’m more used to the dark hour.” Shinjiro replies stoically. </p><p>“What about me? How am I looking?” Akihiko asks.</p><p>“Sick. Do you have a cold? Should you be out of your room today?” Hamuko worries.</p><p>“No, no. If I’m in my room all day it’ll only get worse. I can’t stay cooped up all day. I need to keep getting stronger for the next Tartarus visit.” Akihiko says with some obsession.</p><p>“You can’t get stronger if you’re not feeling well. You can stay in the barrel if you want to be out with us but that’s all the compromise I can offer. You are resting and ill make sure of it.” Everybody stares in awe as Hamuko shows off the authoritative side of her leadership. </p><p>“I’ll stay in the barrel today... thanks Hamuko.” Akihiko shows submission.</p><p>“Great! I’ll keep you company and get you anything you need to feel better! Mitsuru, do you think we should run any tests on him for real illness? We did push a lot of new things on him very quickly...” Akihiko squirms in his walker. </p><p>“I believe it’s the usually Tartarus fatigue that probably is not helped by all the changes. No testing is required.” Mitsuru explains. Hamuko sighs in relief.</p><p>“Alright, ill keep an eye on him. We don’t have anything pressing to do for the next few days so take it easy everybody. We all have to be shipshape for when Akihiko recovers!”</p><p>“Can’t we go into Tartarus without him anyways? We have five people that can go in now.” Yukari mentions. Hamuko wrinkles her nose at the thought.</p><p>“I wouldn’t want the rest of us to get hurt while we already have one in poor condition. We can take a few days off.” </p><p>“I agree with Yuka-tan on this one, what if something bad happens because we don’t deal with Tartarus?” Junpei worries. </p><p>Hamuko knows that he might be right but she can’t think about leaving Akihiko sick and alone as they fight when that’s where he wants to be most. She understands her emotions are seeping into her decision making, but maybe they should! </p><p>“We’re staying. Enjoy your nights off.” Hamuko leaves no room for argument. The team look around at eachother wondering if anybody else would speak up. When it’s clear nobody else will they head off in their own directions. Shinjiro up to his room, the rest slowly head outside. </p><p>Only Akihiko and Hamuko Are left in the lounge. An odd silence hangs in the room. Hamuko keeps her eyes to the floor and her hands folded.</p><p>“...Do you think... I pushed this all onto you too fast?” She finally speaks. </p><p>“No. I wouldn’t have been able to handle it any slower.” Akihiko answers with the same honesty he always carries. Hamuko looks over to him with a relieved smile.</p><p>“Thank you. I needed to hear that. I don’t think I could’ve taken it any slower either. I probably would’ve been fretting over you. I can’t imagine what would happen if there was another lunatic out there who wants to capture fish.” </p><p>“You were worried about that? I handled my own for so long before the fish catcher was taken into custody. I think I’m a lot safer now. Besides, if Shinji could live through it, I’m sure I could.” </p><p>“I know. I guess that wasn’t what would bug me. Why do you think you couldn’t have waited?”</p><p>“Well I’d be so antsy about knowing I have a new purpose, but not being able to start fulfilling it right away I guess. That’s one of the reasons.” </p><p>“What’s another?” </p><p>“Knowing that I had new friends and old friends to make was also a factor. Changing my entire perspective. That sort of thing.”</p><p>“Is that all of them?” Akihiko pauses for a moment and his face goes pink.</p><p>“Cut me some slack, you only had the one reason.”</p><p>“Alright, ill tell you another one of mine. I was excited to not have to wash the sand out of everything at the end of the day. My room is at least a quarter full of sand.” Hamuko laughs at her own joke. </p><p>“I didn’t really think about that. Sand doesn’t stick to me at all.” Akihiko takes it seriously.</p><p>“Or maybe I was excited to spend way more time with you. Especially without needing to lie anymore.” Hamuko says tenderly.</p><p>“Yea, that is pretty nice...” Akihiko stews on the warm feelings that brought him before he breaks the much kinder silence again.</p><p>“My last reason for not wanting to wait... I was really excited to be here with you too.”   </p><p>“You’re really kind, Akihiko. You’ve taken all the troubles out of my mind.” They sit in a comfortable silence for a while until Akihiko’s face darkens.</p><p>“I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.” He says quietly. Hamuko isn’t sure if she was supposed to hear that, but she looks over to him with caring eyes.</p><p>“What do you mean?”</p><p>“You found my long lost friend, you helped me find closure on my sisters disappearance. You’ve given me a chance at a new life full of purpose. I know where I would be without you and I could never imagine being there now.” </p><p>“Can I ask something personal?” </p><p>“Yes.” </p><p>“Does it hurt to know that she’s really gone?” Akihiko bites his cheek.</p><p>“Yes. No more than it hurt to not know.” His eyes are watery. </p><p>“If you ever need somebody to talk to about your grieving, I’m here for you. No matter the time.” </p><p>“I don’t know if talking will help at this point. There’s not much more to be said.”</p><p>“Do you want a hug instead?” Hamuko asks with her arms outstretched. Tears silently roll down Akihikos face before he leans in to hug her. That’s when the sobs roll through. </p><p>Akihiko rests his head just behind her shoulder and he hugs her tightly. Hamuko rubs his back as his body heaves in sobs.</p><p>“Hey guys what’s going on?” Junpei bursts through the door. Akihiko freezes. Hamuko gives Junpei the glare of a thousand suns.</p><p>“Oh look at the time I have to study really bad now! Bye!” Junpei sprints to his room. Akihiko is startled thoroughly out of crying. He leans back out of the hug and looks into hamukos eyes with his red and teary ones, a faint smile on his face.</p><p>“I feel so weak. Thank you for being my seaweed. I really needed to sweat the sadness out.” </p><p>“You were so strong just then you scared the living daylights out of Junpei without even looking at him. Being emotionally vulnerable is the greatest strength of all.” Akihiko looks away bashfully.</p><p>“I don’t know about all that...” Hamuko wipes the tears off his face with her hand.</p><p>“Well, anytime you need to talk through what you’re feeling, I’m here! I promise. No matter what it is.” </p><p>“Thanks, Hamuko. I’ll remember that. I’m sick of being a sad sack now let’s please talk about something else.” </p><p>“are you not feeling exhausted after that?”</p><p>“Not really, should I?” </p><p>“You’re so sick and you just had a lot of emotion. Usually just one of those makes people tired.”</p><p>“I guess I really am strong in every way then, not enough though if my body still gets sick.” </p><p>“You won’t cut yourself any slack even in supernatural forces?” </p><p>“I’m considered a supernatural force I think, so no.” Akihiko says proudly.</p><p>“I do think you should probably get some rest.”</p><p>“What about this isn’t rest?”</p><p>“You’re not sleeping or laying down.” </p><p>“I’m going to go mad if I try to sleep the whole day.”</p><p>“You should at least try to lie down. I think the people half of you would appreciate it.”</p><p>“I don’t want to be alone. I’d lay down if I could hang out in my room with you but you would drown.” Hamuko finds herself a little jazzed about the idea of theoretically being invited to his room.</p><p>“Ok well. I’ll fill the bathtub in my room, and we can hang out while I do my homework. Just don’t tell Mitsuru.”</p><p>“I have no reason to.”</p><p>“Where’s your walker?” Hamuko searches around the room for it.</p><p>“I think somebody might’ve taken it so I don’t wander around today.” Akihiko sighs.</p><p>“Alright. I’ll have to put my strength to the test. Sling yourself over my shoulder and I’ll carry you up there.”</p><p>“Have you lost your mind?”</p><p>“Absolutely.” Akihiko looks extremely hesitant about this plan. All she has to do is drag him to the elevator, but it’d hurt them both something awful if she failed. He trusts her too much to not give her a chance however.</p><p>“Alright. I trust you. Just be really careful and say something if you’re going to fall.” Hamuko nods with a determined spark in her eye. Akihiko slings over her shoulder as requested. She somehow doesn’t topple from the act.</p><p>After Akihiko is as balanced as possible she takes heavy steps toward the elevator. Akihiko watches the world move As he keeps hope in his heart that he won’t get dropped, or worse, fall on Hamuko and crush her. </p><p>After a few more steps she’s definitely starting to lose the resolve she had before, but she’s standing strong as she pushes the elevator button. When the elevator come she makes sure Akihiko doesn’t hit his head on the door as they walk in.</p><p>“You could put me down here. I could make my way there from here.”</p><p>“No.. no way.” She grits. As the elevator hits the third floor the jolt of the stop almost ruins everything. Akihiko moves his Weight to help her balance again. Hamuko slowly trudges to her room clearly running out of steam.</p><p>“Hamuko you can put me down I promise it’ll be alright.” Akihiko says with more worry. Hamuko ignores his pleas and reaches the door. He opens it for her. The next steps are a blur and suddenly he’s not so gently lowered into the tub. </p><p>Hamuko collapses and turns on the water on her way down. She takes very deep breaths. Akihiko can’t help but watch her in awe.</p><p>“You’ve gotten so strong, Hamuko. I’m a little jealous.” Akihiko admits.</p><p>“I’m sure you- you could do that- too... if you needed to.” Hamuko’s breathing slowly returns to normal.</p><p>“One day you’re going to learn to breath underwater and I’ll show you my true strength.” Akihiko says in all seriousness.</p><p>“I’ll work on it. How are you feeling? Do you need anything specific in your water?”</p><p>“Not really. I can take filtered water for a long time.” </p><p>“You’re sick. What else goes in your water. Salt?”</p><p>“...yes.” Akihiko decides not to battle her on this. He wouldn’t win anyways. Hamuko slowly gets back to her feet and heads off to get the salt. This gives Akihiko some time to really understand where he is.</p><p>Hamuko’s room. It isn’t extremely lived in, but it fits her. There’s some clothes scattered on the floor, but the bed is made. She has a weird calendar with a lot of stuff marked on it, not much that he can read from the tub. It smells nice in here...</p><p>Hamuko comes back with a table salt and thoroughly shakes it into his water. </p><p>“Thank you, now please rest. You were in Tartarus too. You probably shouldn’t be doing feats of strength after that.”</p><p>“It’s a little late for that. There’s not a lot of time for me to rest anyways. I have a lot of homework to do. You can hang out and interrupt me as much as you want, but think about getting some sleep.” </p><p>“I’ll think about it.” Akihiko says in a way that makes it seem like he won’t think about it. His eyes however are droopy and seem to say he’s really thinking about it.</p><p>“Well, enjoy the tub then. It’s a thrill and a half.” Hamuko heads to her desk a few feet away and busts out her homework. She audibly groans as soon as she starts reading a page of it. Akihiko can’t help but smile about it.</p><p>He notices the tub starting to overflow and he turns the faucet off. The tub isn’t comfortable but it beats the barrel by a mile. After a few minutes he gets bored and starts to read the products in the shower.</p><p>Japanese wasn’t his best language reading wise but he could get the basics. That basically he had no idea what this did.</p><p>“Hamuko, what do these do? Japanese isn’t my best for reading.” Hamuko swivels around in her chair to see what he’s talking about.</p><p>“Oh, those are for my hair and to keep me clean. I’d tell you to try them but I think they’d probably kill you. Wait a minute where did you even learn any Japanese? Your conversational is on par with native.”</p><p>“Fish are taught the language most commonly found around their territories just in case. That just in case doesn’t include more than basic reading though.”</p><p>“Do you learn a different language first? I’ve never heard you and Shinjiro speak in anything else.”</p><p>“Yea there’s an ocean based language fish are taught from birth. I guess with us both being around people so long we kinda forgot about it. I don’t want to leave any of you out of our conversations anyways.”</p><p>“I would think shinjiro would want to.”</p><p>“No way. He’s having the time of his life. He’d probably take a bullet for anybody but me at this point.”</p><p>“Why not you?” </p><p>“I’d never let him.” Hamuko isn’t sure what to start with on that. The fact that the phrase “I’d take a bullet for you” doesn’t account for how the other person feels, or how Akihiko thinks he would stop Shinjiro from taking a bullet for him.</p><p>“Akihiko, do you know how real bullets work?”</p><p>“Yes of course. They’re like sea urchins.” Akihiko says with the upmost confidence. </p><p>“Yea... just like them.” Hamuko gets back to doing her homework once they’ve hit a lull in the conversation. She hears Akihiko stifle a yawn.</p><p>“I think you should rest, Akihiko.” She says without turning to look at him.</p><p>“Mm? Maybe.” He already sounds like he’s out of it. Maybe that’s why he compared bullets to sea urchins. Hamuko keeps herself quiet as she works to further convince him to sleep. </p><p>She gets deep into a tough problem and after she solves it she turns around to check on the fish. He’s fast asleep in the tub in a way that will definitely cramp him in some way. His breathing is ragged as he softly snores.</p><p>Hamuko wonders if she should move him into a position that won’t give him a crick in the neck. She doesn’t want to wake him up by accident though.</p><p>She takes a chance as she silently steps over to him. She examines him and tries to decide which way to move him, but then she gets distracted by his hair. It looks so soft...</p><p>Hamuko is frozen into place as all of her brain starts fighting with itself. Her internal monologue goes a little something like,”don’t touch his hair you have a mission. Don’t move him he’s sleeping he’s going to wake up. You have to move him if you want him to get better. Well his hair is looking really soft... no!!!” A real mess of thoughts. </p><p>She gives into temptation and she smoothly pets his head. It isn’t as soft as it could be but the action feels rewarding. Akihiko stirs.</p><p>“Hmmm?” Hamuko freezes up.</p><p>“Nothing, Akihiko. Go back to sleep.”</p><p>“Okay~” he says before falling back asleep. Good man. Hamuko lifts him up under the arms and rests him against the back of the tub. His breathing sounds far better now. </p><p>She really hopes he feels better soon, but it is kinda nice to have him in here with her. Even if they aren’t doing anything together. Maybe Tartarus will flood someday so mitsuru will give everybody underwater breathing technology and then she could hang out in Akihikos room.</p><p>Ok maybe that’s a little convoluted. Even for her fantasies. Maybe she should just ask mitsuru for something like that. Mmmmnah. Kinda awkward. </p><p>Hamuko heads back to her desk to work on her homework until another realization hits her. What if Akihiko is dying in his sleep. She whips around to look at him and he’s completely unchanged. Well she better check just in case.</p><p>She kneels down by the fish to check on his vitals. He’s still breathing the same way, his skin isn’t any paler. Wait, what if he’s cold. Does he get cold? She wishes she could ask. The tub isn’t so full it’ll overflow so she decides to turn some hot water on.</p><p>Akihiko is startled awake by the sudden rush of water onto his tail fin. He instinctively swings a fist that Hamuko thankfully dodges. </p><p>“O-oh my god. I’m so so sorry.” Akihiko says when he’s fully awake. Hamuko shrugs it off.</p><p>“It’s alright, I apparently do the same thing. Yukari won’t even enter my room when she needs to wake me up anymore.” That takes a lot of guilt off of his shoulders.</p><p>“Was I asleep long?”</p><p>“I’m not sure. I was involved in studying and then when I looked over to you you were fast asleep. Do you get cold ever?”</p><p>“Sometimes? Is that why you put the water on? You’re too sweet to me.”</p><p>“Aw you don’t have to flatter me. I want to make sure you’re ok after I dragged you out of your house and made you fight shadows.”</p><p>“I’m fit as a flounder. Get back to your homework I’ll probably catch a bit more shuteye.” Akihiko says with a groggy smile. Hamuko nods. She shuts off the hot water and returns to her desk. Akihiko’s light snore returns quickly. Hamuko feels warm.</p><p>After she finishes up her work she hears a knock on the door. </p><p>“Hey! Do you want to come get dinner with me? Mitsuru said she would pay for everybody to eat if I went out and got it. I figured it’d be nice for the sick guys. I can carry everything but it’d be nice to have company. Could you come with me? Are you even awake?” Junpei’s loud voice startled them both through the door. </p><p>Hamuko looks over to Akihiko who looks at her in the same boggled way. Would anybody be mad at her if he was in here? They wouldn’t right? Then why is she scared to open the door?</p><p>“Yea! I’ll come help you, Junpei! That’s so sweet of Mitsuru. I’ll be out in a minute just let me get dressed!” Ok well she hasn’t been dressed any differently but she needs at least two seconds of mental prep. </p><p>She looks to Akihiko again. He looks behind himself as if Hamuko would be looking at anybody else. Hamuko sighs. Even if she had a convoluted plan she doubted it would work.</p><p>She opens the door to Junpei hanging around outside. </p><p>“Are you ready to go?”</p><p>“Yep!” Hamuko looks back into her room one more time as she shuts the door at Akihikos pleading eyes. Hell just have to stay in there a while. </p><p>Hamuko and Junpei head out to the unspecified food place and chatter on the way.</p><p>“So how do you think the guys are holding up after their first Tartarus trip? Akihiko seemed worse for wear. I’ve never seen you so strict before!”</p><p>“I think they’ll end up just fine, it might take a day or two but as long as they stay rested it’ll be fine. I figured Akihiko would be too strong headed to want to rest though, so I had to put my foot down.” Hamuko laughs.</p><p>“You knew him how long before you brought him here? Like a week? It sounds like you already know him pretty well though.” </p><p>“Ah, yea! We grew close pretty fast with me trying to help him find his family again. Too bad we couldn’t find all of them!” Junpei looks at her with a morbid half smile.</p><p>“Haha... yea. Anyways, what do you think about them? What made you think of helping Akihiko.” </p><p>“I’m always helping people, it’s the right thing to do! I think Akihiko and Shinjiro are sweet fish. I hope we can all take down Tartarus together.”</p><p>“Drop the goodie goodie hero act, Hamuko. I’m talking more personal.” </p><p>“Ok ok, fine. I think Shinjiro is very kind on the inside but a bit tactless. Akihiko is very driven and I appreciate him as a friend.” </p><p>“Those are two pretty different ways to score them.” </p><p>“What do you want from me.”</p><p>“Well I was just wondering how Akihiko disappeared from the lounge when I saw Mitsuru take his walker away. I would’ve thought I’d have found him suffering in some hallway somewhere, but I haven’t seen him all day.” Hamuko feels like she’s been caught in a bear trap. </p><p>“What are you trying to imply here, Junpei? He’s probably strong enough to make it back to his room in a full handstand.”</p><p>“Hamuko. You’re not even acting concerned about it. I know he was in your room.”</p><p>“He didn’t want me to leave him alone in the lounge! I wanted to make sure he was getting rest.” Hamuko says in a huff before she realizes she’s being silly.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’m being so defensive for. He just slept in my bathtub while I studied.” Junpei looks at her with a smug knowing smile before she brushes off the whole thing.</p><p>“I think that’s really sweet. You two are such good friends.” Junpei remarks in a tone Hamuko doesn’t appreciate.</p><p>“Thanks.”</p><p>“I hope you two get even closer someday.” Junpei jeers. Hamuko looks him dead in the eyes for a minute stopping him in his tracks.</p><p>“Don’t go around telling everybody about it.” Hamuko says in a dark tone before immediately correcting it with a cheery, “ok?”</p><p>Junpei looks like he’s caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. </p><p>“Yep! It’s just between you and me! My lips are sealed! Loose lips sink ships and all that! But if I had to ask why didn’t you just ask mitsuru for the walker. You didn’t have to hide him. I’m sure theyre looking for him right now! How’d you even get him into your room?”</p><p>“Junpei I’m just soooo hungry I can’t even remember! I think we should hurry to pick up the food and get home immediately I think I left the oven on!” Hamuko panics she didn’t even think about anybody looking for him. Why didn’t she just ask for the walker! She’s really dug herself into a hole this time. She starts sprinting ahead of Junpei.</p><p>“Wait! Come back! It’s really not that big a deal! It’s ok if you like him!” Junpei tries to keep up. They both quickly make it to the unspecified food place and pick up their unspecified order before they run home. </p><p>Junpei slumps to the floor when they get back. Hamuko’s breath is ragged. Everybody in the lounge stares in confusion. </p><p>“Are you alright?” Mitsuru asks.</p><p>“Why were you running?” Yukari follows up.</p><p>“Just getting some extra training! Our stamina runs out so fast in Tartarus I thought it would help to splice in training here and there!” Hamuko lies through her teeth. Akihiko isn’t in the lobby. </p><p>“Well I have more studying to do I’ll bring Akihiko and Shinjiro’s food up to them and eat in my room. Thank you for paying mitsuru!” </p><p>“Wait a minute, hold on, they can’t eat our foods in their rooms it’ll get all in their water and hurt them. I’ll give Akihiko his walker back and tell Shinjiro it’s time for dinner. You look exhausted, you should sit and rest at the table.” Mitsuru lectures. </p><p>Hamuko sits down at the table with a pout. Junpei and Yukari sit beside her. Junpei snickers to himself and Hamuko elbows his side. Yukari giggles to herself about Junpei’s pain.</p><p>Shortly Akihiko and Shinjiro come out of the elevator with Mitsuru. Wait huh? Junpei looks just as surprised as Hamuko does. They all sit down at the table and eat. Hamuko looks at Akihiko with bewildered eyes. Akihiko flashes a smile at her and rotates one of his shoulders.</p><p>Realization hits Hamuko hard. He really is strong enough to hand stand walk all the way back to his room. Hamuko smiles fondly back at him. Crazy son of a gun.</p><p>Dinner moves by smoothly as all worries that probably shouldn’t have been there in the first place drift away. Afterwards everybody heads back to their rooms to get some well needed rest for the night. </p><p>Akihiko feels himself falling apart from exhaustion, but it doesn’t stop him from taking a peak at his favorite magazine. </p><p>“Ways to know your guy like likes you for real! <br/>Number 13: he’s always helping you out with your hair!” Akihiko hits himself. Why didn’t he think of that. He was in her room looking at her hair products! He flops onto his sea sponge bed and starts formulating plans until he drifts off to sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>today is akihiko's birthday so i wanted to let out this chapter and im glad i did i had no idea it was getting this long. Happy birthday Akihiko!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Caterpillar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Hamuko unearths some secrets about the fish and by secrets i mean things that should be common knowledge</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Akihiko has the perfect plan to show Hamuko he’s well adjusted in his new home. He’s going to help her with her hair. He wakes up brimming with half of his life as he’s still recovering from Tartarus’s first time fatigue, but he’s more than ready to take on the day. </p><p>He knocks on Shinjiro’s wall to wake him up.</p><p>“Hey Shinji! Come spar with me!” Akihiko calls.</p><p>“Fuck off!” Shinjiro replies. Well. He tried. He floats over to his punching bag and gives it a good few volleys of punches before his body warns him to stop. He takes that warning just this one time because it seems like prime time to bother Shinjiro again.</p><p>“Hey Shinji! Are you up yet? I wanna ask you something!” After a few moments of no response Akihiko is going to knock again before Shinjiro swiftly swims directly up to their connecting port.</p><p>“Yes. What is it.” He hisses.</p><p>“Well you have really long hair so I was just wondering how you take care of it.”</p><p>“...why?”</p><p>“I want to show Hamuko I care about her.” </p><p>“Wow, Aki, you’ve really changed. I never thought you would understand your own feelings let alone express them to somebody else in a thoughtful way.” Akihiko looks at him aghast.</p><p>“What on earth are you on about? I understand my feelings just fine. I feel that I want to show Hamuko that I want to be a closer friend to her! Her best friend even.” Shinjiro rolls his eyes.</p><p>“I think you already won that title. Hairs a pretty personal thing, but sure. I’ll share my care routine I guess.” Akihikos face lights up.</p><p>“Thanks so much! So what do you use?”</p><p>“Algae and a heavy dosage of it. I keep it on most of the night. It helps keep my hair from getting tangled or unruly. You didn’t hear it from me though.”</p><p>“My ears are sealed. I’ll harvest a lot of algae. Thank you, Shinji.” Akihiko rushes around to all the slimy rocks in his room collecting the algae in the novelty treasure chest he keeps in his room as decor. Unfortunately it blows bubbles and ruins his progress.</p><p>Akihiko picks a sea glass jar instead to store algae in. Once it’s full he suits up into his walker and rolls up to Hamukos room. He knocks on the door.</p><p>“Hey Hamuko! Are you around? I’ve got something to give you!” Hamuko grumbles an answer which gets entirely muffled through the door. He must’ve woken her up. Oops.</p><p>“What was that?” </p><p>“Come in~” Hamuko says a little louder. A yawn follows shortly after. Akihiko feels a twinge of nerves rush through him as his hand moves to the doorknob, but they quickly wash away once he opens the door. </p><p>Hamuko is vaguely awake and sitting up in bed with some cute pajamas on. She rubs her eyes before fully activating.</p><p>“What’s up akihiko? What’d you get me?” Though abruptly woken up, Hamuko could never be mad about a gift. </p><p>“It’s in this jar. Open it up.” Akihiko hands her the jar. She opens it and gives him a fake smile.</p><p>“Woooow I love iiiiit... what is this?”</p><p>“It’s algae.” Hamuko’s confusion only deepens.</p><p>“....wooooow thaaanks.”</p><p>“It’s for your hair!” </p><p>“Uhm, why exactly is it for my hair. If I might ask.”</p><p>“It’ll help it from tangling if you put it in and leave it in overnight. It probably doesn’t have to be overnight though.” </p><p>“Can you show me?” Hamuko looks for any clarity.</p><p>“I guess I could, ive never tried it personally.” Akihiko takes a scoop of the algae out and rubs it all around his hair. He looks very displeased at the feeling.</p><p>“It makes my head feel so cold and slimy. Maybe this wasn’t a good suggestion...”</p><p>“Where did you even get this from?” </p><p>“My room.”</p><p>“I meant the idea.”</p><p>“I didn’t hear it from anybody.”</p><p>“Shinjiro.”</p><p>“How did you guess!”</p><p>“I don’t think mitsuru or Yukari use algae in their hair, and Junpei is balding.”</p><p>“What!? I never noticed under that hat of his...”</p><p>“Sorry I’m lying, me and Yukari say that as a little joke sometimes.”</p><p>“You two are cruel.” Akihiko says looking worried. </p><p>“Sometimes he deserves it. Do you think the stuffs done?” </p><p>“I don’t know, but I want this stuff off of me either way.” Akihiko heads to the sink to rinse off his hair. His whole body seems to relax as the water touches him. He keeps his head shoved into the sink for far longer than necessary.</p><p>“Akihiko? Can you come back to land? You’re getting water all over the floor.” Akihiko straightens up and accidentally knocks his head against the faucet. He hisses out in pain as he cradles the impact with his hands.</p><p>Hamuko grabs her first aid kit and rushes to him.</p><p>“Oh my goodness I’m so so sorry, Akihiko. I should’ve seen that coming you poor dear I’m so sorry!” Akihiko flashes a weak smile.</p><p>“It’s alright, It happens. It won’t hurt forever, it just stings like hell right now.” </p><p>“Lemme see it, I’ll patch you up.” Hamuko gestures for him to bring his head down to her eye level. He bows his head to her slowly. She parts his hair from where he was holding his head before. His hair did turn out pretty soft. Maybe not the best time to break that news. </p><p>Hamuko examines the mark. There is a scuff mark but not much more. A little disinfectant is probably all he really needs. </p><p>“Ok Akihiko, I’m going to clean the bump on your head real quick. It might sting a little, please don’t move.” Akihiko makes an mhm sound to confirm. Hamuko pours a little disinfectant onto a cotton ball and then dabs it over his wound. He freezes solid trying to heed Hamuko’s instruction.</p><p>“Is this your first time getting disinfectant? You must not have it quite like this underwater.” She’s done cleaning him, he fully exhales.</p><p>“No not really. If you get hurt you get hurt. If you get infected you die or get it cut off.” That doesn’t sound true. </p><p>“That sounds hard for you all. I would’ve died for sure. Now I’m going to cast a little spell to make it heal faster, alright?” </p><p>“I think you would live... Cast your magic please.” Hamuko kisses near the wound to make him feel better. She then ruffles the side of his hair.</p><p>“Wow! It does work! You’re so soft.” She exclaims. Akihiko straightens up with a flushed face. </p><p>“Oh uhh thank you. For everything. Please take the algae and use it as you see fit.” Akihiko offers. Hamuko gladly takes it.</p><p>“Thanks! I’ll be sure to put it in before bed. And also find a cover for my sheets...” </p><p>“what are those?” Hamuko points over to her bed. </p><p>“What do they do?”</p><p>“I dunno honestly. I think they just keep the mattress clean or keep in heat or cold or something. Have you ever seen a human bed before?”</p><p>“Not really. We sleep on sea sponges or just the plain sand if we’re unlucky.”</p><p>“I’d think you would sleep in anemones for protection.” </p><p>“Are you nuts? None of my kind can even dream of touching those things. Even if we’re a clown fish variant our human halves will still get shocked.”</p><p>“I guess i never thought about it too much.” </p><p>“One day you’ll learn to breathe underwater and I’ll show you my room.”</p><p>“I’ll work on it.” Hamuko says sarcastically.</p><p>“How hard could it be? According to Mitsuru I’ll be able to breathe like you in weeks.”</p><p>“You have the advantage of having gills and lungs. I can’t just start breathing underwater because I want to just like you can’t start walking if you feel like it!”</p><p>“Maybe Mitsuru has some sort of fix for that too.” </p><p>“I dunno if she’ll just commission her science people to help me breath underwater for giggles.” </p><p>“I’ll flood Tartarus so she’ll have to.” Akihiko seems a little too real on that threat.</p><p>“That’s alright you probably shouldn’t! I’ll ask Mitsuru but I doubt it’ll be a yes.”</p><p>“Thank you. Let’s go ask now.” Hamuko looks at his determined eyes and feels she has no power to overturn his resolve. They take the elevator together to find Mitsuru eating breakfast. Eggs.</p><p>“Hey Mitsuru, I have a question for you.” Akihiko asks. Hamuko looks at him incredulously. Why’d he even ask her to ask if he was just going to do it himself!</p><p>“What is it?”</p><p>“Can you give Hamuko the technology to breathe underwater? I want her to be able to go into my room.” Hamuko dies a little inside at the look Mitsuru gives her. </p><p>“Why did you have to phrase it like that!” Hamuko abruptly shouts before Mitsuru could begin to respond.</p><p>“Huh? What do you mean? That’s the truth. I want to show you my bed.” Mitsurus expression grows more prudish.</p><p>“Mitsuru I promise it’s not what you think he’s not from here he doesn’t understand the way we’re hearing this I swear we’re not up to anything funny we’re just good friends who like to hang out I promise!” Hamuko speedily sputters out. </p><p>Akihiko looks like he’s trying to solve the meaning of life with the amount of thinking he’s going through.</p><p>“What have I even said wrong? You guys just sleep in there, right?” The two girls look at eachother and back to him, neither really willing to explain.</p><p>“Anyways... no. I cannot have my father’s science team working on projects with no battle purpose. I apologize, but I cannot waste their efforts on your ability to ‘hang out’.” Akihiko looks like he’s about to object, but Hamuko claps a hand over his mouth.</p><p>“Well that’s all we wanted to know, Mitsuru, thank you! We’ll be headi off now!” Hamuko force wheels Akihiko back to the elevator.</p><p>“That’s no fair I should definitely have breaks in this thing so you can’t do that.”</p><p>“I’m not letting you take that one up with Mitsuru today we’ve hit our bothering quota with her.”</p><p>“Hamuko. You’re my only link to the surface I can rely on reliably. What are Beds for here. What did I say wrong?” Akihiko asks with great curiosity. This is not the best day Hamuko has had.</p><p>“Alright I guess this is an etiquette lesson you need to know. Beds are generally used for sleeping but they’re also commonly known for being part of uhh... human mating rituals I guess I’ll call it. Saying you want to take somebody to your room is a suspicious act for that purpose.” Akihiko looks extremely embarrassed.</p><p>“Oh. I would’ve said it a lot differently if I knew. I would hope Mitsuru doesn’t think I’m that kind of mammal.” The elevator reaches the third floor and they walk back to Hamuko’s room.</p><p>“She’ll probably sleep it off. You’re a mammal?”</p><p>“As far as I’ve been told.” Hamuko has a burning question she would hate to ask. This seems like a good time to breech the question however.</p><p>“Hey Akihiko... just so I don’t end up saying anything weird around you or Shinjiro... what are your guys... yknow... rituals.”</p><p>“Like routine?”</p><p>“No. The conversation we were just having.”</p><p>“Oh! Oh... uhm...” Akihiko scratches behind his ear and looks away from her.</p><p>“Well, erm... uhm... I’m not entirely certain to be honest. I’ve been an orphan and alone for a fairly long time. Nobody ever taught me about that before I was alone.” This is worse than him being inexperienced. How does he just not know! Hamuko looks at him pained.</p><p>“Do you think the internet would know?” She half jokes.</p><p>“aren’t we essentially a myth to humans? I don’t think they’ll know.”</p><p>“We have to check, right? Maybe there’s something on it.” </p><p>“Why does it matter so much?” Akihiko wonders. </p><p>“I don’t think you understand how screwed up people get when they don’t get proper health education!” Hamuko yells back in defense. Her reasons aren’t the purest but she can’t just say that she’s curious can she.</p><p>Hamuko slaps the words mermaid sex into the search bar. She’s glad Akihiko hasn’t started learning to read English yet. She clicks on the first link she sees. She skims the page and it’s very clear from the second line that this is humans idea of what it might be like. In gruesome detail.</p><p>“What does it say?” Akihiko asks. Hamuko hides the screen with her hands, flustered.</p><p>“Ahhh nothing! This is just human speculation on what the act might be like.” </p><p>“Read it to me, maybe they have a scientific guess about it.” </p><p>“I really don’t think they do, trust me. Let’s just look elsewhere.” Hamuko hits the back button and then her mouse accidentally clicks over to the images tab. Akihiko sees far too much before she gets it back to the original tab. She looks over to Akihiko to see genuine shock locked in his eyes.</p><p>“I don’t think... that’s the way it works...” he says softly. Hamuko forcibly shuts down the entire computer. This hell box brings nothing but less answers.</p><p>“Do you think Shinjiro would know?” Akihiko looks uncomfortable at the thought of asking.</p><p>“I don’t know. Knock on his door and ask.” </p><p>“You ask!”</p><p>“No way! He’ll hold it over my head for the rest of my life!”</p><p>“What if he gets the wrong idea!?” </p><p>“What do you think he is!? He’s a good fish! If you think this matters you’re the one who has to ask!”</p><p>“Fine. Fine I will ask. You better be in earshot.”</p><p>“I have great hearing, I’ll always be in earshot.” Should Hamuko break it to him that he doesn’t actually have that? Maybe another day. He’s had enough hard hits today.</p><p>They head back down the elevator to the second floor. Akihiko sticks by the vending machines as Hamuko goes in for the knock. Shinjiro looks through his port hole.</p><p>“What do you want?” He says through the intercom.</p><p>“Can you come out and talk to me? I have something a bit personal to ask.” Maybe that wasn’t the best phrasing either. Shinjiro appears within a few moments outside his door in his walker. His hair does look very shiny now that Hamuko actually looks at it.</p><p>“What is it.” Shinjiro asks curtly</p><p>“This is going to sound weird but what are your species... uhm... mating rituals? I don’t want to say anything inappropriate to Akihiko or you by accident.” Shinjiro takes a good long look at her pleading eyes and rolls right back into his dorm.</p><p>“WAIT SHINJIRO COME BACK PLEASE!” Hamuko frantically bangs on his door.</p><p>“Go away. I’m not answering shit like that today.”</p><p>“I’m just trying to be more polite I promise it’s nothing weird! Please Shinjiro!!!” Shinjiro keeps his back turned to her as he lingers in the doorway.</p><p>“If I tell you you’ll have to tell every single one of your little friends here what I’ve said. I’m not going to repeat the explanation ever again. I don’t want to even give you the explanation.”</p><p>“But you will? Oh thank you thank you so much Shinjiro! I promise I’ll never ask you anything this weird again!”</p><p>“Yeah yeah, you’re definitely lying so I won’t get my hopes up about it.” He finally turns around. His cheeks are very faintly red.</p><p>“Now I’m only saying this once and quietly, so lean in close.” Hamuko leans in as he asks. He whispers clear enough for her ears only.</p><p>“It’s a gruesome process. First the mate trying to pair will bring an impressive stone, generally from the shambles of the ancient city. Then if the pair is formed they... consummate the bond in an aggressive feat of strength on eachother before actually doing the act of procreation. Not a lot of our species live through this process and that’s why there are so many orphans. Even if a pair is successful the egg process could kill the injured parent. Then the other parent usually dies of sadness or fatigue.” Hamuko feels her head spinning.</p><p>“Wait but why are they so violent then?” </p><p>“How am I supposed to know. I learned this from scraps of ancient romance texts and what little I was made aware of by my parents deaths.” Hamuko looks extremely distraught.</p><p>“Don’t give me that look. Did you learn everything you wanted? Just avoid giving us rocks I think that’s really the only boundary.”</p><p>“Wait! Does consummation take place anywhere specific?” </p><p>“No, it’s wherever the pair ends up. Now I’m leaving. Enjoy telling your friends about your perverse findings.” Shinjiro slams the door on her. She walks over to Akihiko feeling heavy with new information. </p><p>“Did you hear all that?” She asks.</p><p>“No way, he must’ve been communicating with you directly in your head. He told you?” Hamuko sighs and takes in a deep breath before laying down the law.</p><p>“Akihiko, I don’t think you have as good of hearing as the rest of your species. I think that’s important for you to understand.” Hamuko says frankly.</p><p>“Oh... how do you know?” Hamuko takes out the shell he gave her and blows on it. Akihiko is unfazed. Shinjiro whips open his door.</p><p>“Don’t blow that thing unless it’s important! I’m trying to relax!” Shinjiro growls before he slams the door shut again. Akihiko nods in understanding.</p><p>“Thank you for letting me know. Anyways what did you learn?” Hamuko looks back to Shinjiro’s door, weary of his hearing.</p><p>“Let’s head back to my room and I’ll tell you.” They both quickly head back to her room to leave old man Shinjiro alone. Hamuko closes the door behind her.</p><p>“Alright, so here’s the gist of it. It really sounds like it sucks.”</p><p>“Oh?”</p><p>“Yea like apparently when you like somebody you have to give them a nice rock, that’s fine that’s cute, but then you have to fight eachother until they’re close to death? Nobody’s really sure why. And apparently a lot of them die in egg laying from getting beaten up so bad in the process of creating that egg.” Akihiko looks worried.</p><p>“I don’t think I want to do that.”</p><p>“That’s all I could get out of Shinjiro but he didn’t really seem sure about it either. I’m sure there has to be some reason why it turns so violent.” Akihiko leans his head on his fist, which is leaning against the rim of his walker.</p><p>“I feel like I was better off not knowing. I assume my parents died that way.”</p><p>“You never met them?” </p><p>“I kinda figured everybody was like that. Sea turtles don’t usually meet their parents either. Well. Thank you I guess. You saved me a very awkward conversation with Shinjiro.” </p><p>“Anytime!” </p><p>“I’m going to head to bed early tonight to process it all. I hope you aren’t too haunted by this tonight. Be sure to put that algae in too. G’nite Hamuko.” Akihiko ruffles her hair. Hamuko bats at his hand with her own.</p><p>“I guess I’ll have to now that you did that! Goodnight Akihiko.” Akihiko heads back to his room to ponder on things for a while. He doesn't sleep very much that night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I went a little off the rails. As always thank you for reading and i love you very much &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Migratory Locust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Shit fuck i went into worldbuilding gogddamnit</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning Akihiko has figured out what he needs to do. He brings it to Hamuko.</p><p>“I think I might take a trip back home to try and understand some things. I’ll obviously be back in time for tomorrow.” </p><p>“By yourself?”</p><p>“Of course. Shinjiro said he didn’t feel like going.”</p><p>“Not of course! I’m going with you. I won’t meddle in your findings but I do want to make sure you’re safe.” Akihiko looks at her with a conflicted expression.</p><p>“Won’t you get bored?” He asks innocently.</p><p>“Your safety matters way more than that.” Akihikos kind eyes seem to shine.</p><p>“Alright, fine, I’ll let you keep watch. Let’s go.” Hamuko smiles. </p><p>On their way out she notifies Mitsuru of where they’re going. Mitsuru doesn’t seem thrilled about it either. </p><p>“Keep your phones on you at all times. Call at the slightest oddity. We cannot afford to lose either of you. If I don’t hear a report from one of you every 30 minutes I am sending somebody to find you.” </p><p>Hamuko is glad she never used to mention her long trips to the beach. Mitsuru probably would’ve put a tracker on her. Maybe she already has. That’s easier than calling every 30 minutes at least.</p><p>Hamuko and Akihiko take their sweet time getting down to the shoreline, chattering along the way.</p><p>“So what made you decide to do this?”</p><p>“You helped me realize I know next to nothing about my own species. It wasn’t so important before when I thought Shinjiro was dead too, but now that he also carries on the torch of our people it feels embarrassing that I know so little in comparison.”</p><p>“Couldn’t you just ask him about what he knows?” </p><p>“Yes.” The conversation ends there.</p><p>When they arrive at the shore they call Mitsuru to alert her that they’ve made it. Hamuko won’t have time to be bored with how often she has to call. Akihiko slips out of his walker and falls onto the sandy floor. He hisses in pain at the hot sand on his bare body.</p><p>“I did not miss this... why is sand so sandy!” Akihiko wiggles his way into the lapping waves and soon he’s gone back underwater. Hamuko keeps a diligent eye on the ocean. </p><p>Akihiko swims down down down into his old room just for a moment to remember how he even got there. He just found it one day and made a habitat out of it. He was too big for his old one. “What thrilling memories.” Akihiko thinks to himself.</p><p>He then swims down to the little hovel shinjiro used to live in before he was captured. Shinjiro used to swim off northward from here a lot. Maybe there’s something to be learned from that direction.</p><p>Nope. It turns out to just be a kelp garden. This is harder than Akihiko thought. He was really hoping he’d just come back into the ocean and figure something out immediately so he could go back home.</p><p>Home. When did home change in his head?</p><p>He watches as a colorful school of full fish swim towards the rubble he’s only swam past a few times in his life. He follows the school that gladly accept him into their pack.</p><p>“Where are you all headed to?” He asks.</p><p>“We. Are. Going. To. The. Ruins. Of. The. City.” Each word spoken is traded off to a different fish. It’s incredibly obnoxious.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“We. Were. Instructed. To. By. Our. Heads.” Akihiko quickly remembers how much he didn’t like it in the ocean. All the creatures there speak in the least efficient way possible and they’re all controlled by the magnets or something. The only good thing is that most are very friendly.</p><p>Akihiko continues swimming with them as they move forward. None of the fish’s eyes are even paying attention to where they’re going. Maybe Akihiko is missing out by not being on this magnetism system.</p><p>After a while they reach the most put together parts of the ruins. Shinjiro’s mentioned it once or twice as the “ancient city.” But he never says who’s ancient city it was. The fish find a structure with a tablet that looks like it has a bunch of small fish shaped holes in it. Each member of the school sorts themselves into one of the holes.</p><p>A blue light glows around them all and the tablet lifts up to reveal a surplus of food underneath. The fish immediately rush under and get their fill of the food and slip out before the tablet can settle back down over the food supply. </p><p>“Have food supplies always been here? That would’ve been nice to know...” Akihiko grumbles. </p><p>“We. Have. Not. Seen. Any. But. For. Our. Own.” Yea like they would even look. </p><p>“Thanks for letting me follow you. This was all very enlightening.” Akihiko says entirely lying. This was almost entirely a waste of time. Hamuko must be bored and sunburnt by now.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>Back on the shore, Hamuko has been making her many phone calls to Mitsuru. When she hasn’t been stuck doing that she’s been building a sandcastle, and occasionally dipping her legs in the water whenever the sand starts to burn too much.</p><p>Her calls to Mitsuru get more desperate in tone each half hour.</p><p>“Hey Mitsuru! How are you doing!”</p><p>“It’s only been a half hour since you last asked. I am still doing well, thank you. I assume you still have nothing to report?” </p><p>“I made a third tier for my sandcastle and it still hasn’t crumbled yet!”</p><p>“Are you even watching the ocean?”</p><p>“Yea yea it’s in my peripherals for sure. Well I’m gonna let you go, Mitsuru. I’ll hear from you in another half hour!”</p><p>“Yes indeed, thank you for your report. Goodbye.” Mitsuru hangs up. Hamuko stares at the lit up screen of the phone and then drifts her vision back over to the ocean. Same old same old.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>Back in the ocean Akihiko has been moseying about the ancient ruins of whoever’s city this might’ve once been. There’s plenty of feeders for different types of schools all over the place. He hasn’t found any for his kind yet.</p><p>It feels like all that’s left of this place is fish feeders and a few unstable rooms. The structure didn’t seem like it came from the surface by any means. </p><p>What creatures even had the capacity for building such a structure? Akihiko’s question is quickly answered when he finds the main room of the structure. It’s covered in shredded up art and there’s a throne in the middle made up of the same rock as the feeders.</p><p>Octopus. Octopi? Octopeople. The accepted print on the feeder is that of suckered tentacles. They must’ve build this broken city. The shredded art on the walls is of octopi and Fish battling it out. No wonder there are no feeders for him in here.</p><p>The octopuses must have lost considering their city is in shambles and Akihiko can’t even recall meeting one. Fantastic. He came all this way just to learn his species were scum bags. Not especially a good note to go home on but Hamuko has been on the surface waiting for ages now.</p><p>He swims out a different way and on his way out he sees a different shaped tile. It looks like a dolphins tailfin. Akihiko looks at his own. Pretty similar in size. Might as well give it a shot. Akihiko smacks his fin into the wall. It glows red and sirens lightly whine.</p><p>Must’ve been for dolphins after all. Akihiko quickly swims away from the ruins. This trip only gets worse and worse.</p><p>Hamuko gets startled when the ocean is actually disrupted for once, but it’s just Akihiko. </p><p>“Akihiko! You’re back! Did you find what you were looking for?”</p><p>“I’m actually starting to think I would’ve been better off not going on this trip.” He grasps over at his walker with pleading eyes. Hamuko gladly wheels it over for him. She tries to help him get in but his arms are unmatched and he’s saddled back in within moments.</p><p>“What did you find?” Hamuko asks with concern.</p><p>“I found that my species was full of killers. They took down an entire society of Octopi. I don’t think the octopi were even evil. The ruins had feeders for pretty much every species but mine.” Hamuko lets that spin through her head for a moment looking for the correct sympathy to show.</p><p>“Oh. That’s a bummer. How do you know it was your species that killed them?” </p><p>“I tried one of the feeders and an alarm went off. Also there were shredded tapestries of my kind warring with them.” Akihiko sighs.</p><p>“Well buck up, at least you’re one of the only ones left!” Hamuko says thinking that’ll help.</p><p>“I guess that’s true...” Akihiko looks forlorn as he gazes out to sea. Hamuko hooks her arm around his and gently tugs him in a homeward direction.</p><p>“I understand that has to be tough on you, but you aren’t your ancestors or even your parents! You’re writing the history books for the fish now.” Hamuko tries to keep things upbeat. </p><p>“Yea. Yeah! You’re right. I’m not going to let this stop me from living my life the way I want it to be. This is a new chapter for the fish!” Akihiko has a determined smile. Hamuko holds his arm a little closer.</p><p>“That’s the spirit! That’s the Akihiko I know and adore!” Hamuko’s never seen Akihikos chest so puffed out. He must be feeling like the cock of the walk.</p><p>“Me and Shinji are going to make great names for ourselves when we save the whole world with you guys.” </p><p>“I’m glad to have you with us!” Hamuko returns his enthusiasm. They walk home together with a lot of pep in their step. </p><p>Maybe Akihiko did find something worthwhile on his trip after all.</p><p>When they get back Mitsuru is in the lounge waiting for them.</p><p>“Welcome back. How did it go?”</p><p>“I found nothing.” Akihiko says confidently.  Mitsurus confusion is obvious.</p><p>“Oh, alright then. Thank you for keeping me updated, Hamuko.”</p><p>“Of course!”</p><p>“Now you two should head to bed early, tomorrow Akihiko and Shinjiro start their tutoring sessions. I expect you, Hamuko, to give them extra help when needed.”</p><p>“What? I’m not really qualified for that sort of thing!” Hamuko retorts.</p><p>“It’s just extra help. You’re not doing anything more than you would to help a fellow student study.”</p><p>“Alright I guess that’s true. I accept the challenge then.” </p><p>“Well I don’t know how much of a challenge it is per say... either way it shouldn’t be very hard to help them. They have to learn to read our language before anything else.”</p><p>“I could help with that so easily! I’m sure my friends at the bookstore have plenty of good practice for them. I’ll visit them tomorrow!” </p><p>“I’m glad to see your enthusiasm for this. I’m heading to my room for the evening. Goodnight.”</p><p>They both say goodnight back to her. Akihiko looks lost in thought.</p><p>“what’s bugging you, Akihiko?”</p><p>“Do you think I’ll be a quick learner?”</p><p>“I dunno. You seem like a hard worker to me and if you work hard at your studies you’ll learn quickly!” Akihiko shyly smiles.</p><p>“You really think so?”</p><p>“I know so! I would’ve failed school 12 times over at this point if I didn’t try so hard.”</p><p>“Your school sounds hard...”</p><p>“You’re not going to school though so all you have to worry about is real learning. If you need help Mitsuru has made me in charge of tutoring.” </p><p>“What is that?”</p><p>“Extra help person.”</p><p>“Ah, well thank you. I’ll be sure to let you know. I’m going to hit the sponge. I’m beat.”</p><p>“Me too.” Hamuko yawns.</p><p>“Goodnight Hamuko.”</p><p>“Night night Akihiko!” They both head their separate ways up to bed. Akihiko is tormented with the decision of sleeping early or consulting his magazine on how to treat Hamuko. She did stay out waiting for him that whole time.</p><p>He forces himself to sleep. It’d be a better favor to her if he learns everything the first time instead of needing her to teach it to him again after falling asleep during lessons.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Praying Mantis</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>everybody goes to school today, a new recruit is found</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next day Hamuko forces herself up bright and early to go to school. She meets up with Yukari at the school gates.</p><p>“Uhm, you have a little sunburn. All over you.” Yukari bluntly points out. She pulls out a compact mirror for her to look at herself. Yukari was right. The sun got her good yesterday. Not a big surprise with how long she was sitting out at the beach.</p><p>“Now that you mention it I guess my whole body does sting.”</p><p>“How do you not notice something like that earlier? I’ve got aloe at home, so just hold out for the day and I can help you.” The school bells ring and they head to class.</p><p>Now that she knows she’s itchy the day is far harder. She checks her skin often and draws little smiley faces in the burn. At lunch she’s already sick of the stinging.</p><p>“Yukariiiiii do you think I could rush home in time to get your aloe and come back?” Hamuko asks with desperation.</p><p>“I don’t think you’re even allowed to leave school, so no. Is it really that bad? It doesn’t look like it’ll kill you.”</p><p>“It’s just really distracting I guess. My mind keeps running back to how Akihiko must be doing.”</p><p>“Uhhuh. That’s the sunburns fault? It is his first day of tutoring I think it’s natural to wonder.” Junpei crashes his lunch trays in between the two.</p><p>“Heya dudes! I want to sit here today for lunch. I’ve got some pretty good news!”</p><p>“It better be.” Yukari threatens.</p><p>“I found a new girl to fight in Tartarus with us!” Junpei is grinning ear to ear with pride.</p><p>“How on earth did you do a thing like that?” Yukari says in disbelief.</p><p>“Well I met this girl in my cooking class and we were talking about Tartarus-“ </p><p>“No no no wait a minute, why are you even talking about that with anybody!?” </p><p>“Well Mitsuru never said not to I’m pretty sure. There’s not a lot of reason not to mention Tartarus to everybody we know to try and find new members.” Hamuko muses.</p><p>“Thank you, Hamuko. As I was saying! We were talking about Tartarus and she said she’s been seeing it for a long time now!”</p><p>“How do you even get on the topic?” Yukari questions.</p><p>“Well Yknow, I have to use what I have to try and impress.” Yukari looks so tired.</p><p>“Do you really think there’s no consequences to telling people we play super hero at night?” </p><p>“No not really. Our enemies are shadows.” Hamuko says. </p><p>“I’m still not going to spread it around personally. Something just doesn’t sit right with me about it...” </p><p>“So is she going to join us, Junpei?”</p><p>“Yea it seems like she has no friends and doesn’t like her parents so she wants to move in tomorrow, is that cool?” </p><p>“Yes of course! I love having new people. You should maybe let Mitsuru know though.” </p><p>“Alright! I’ll let her know. The girls name is Fuuka and uhh I don’t really remember the rest of her name.”</p><p>“Doesn’t matter!” Hamuko says with cheer. Yukari can’t believe any of this.</p><p>“Is it really ok to steal a kid from her parents on what might as well be a whim?”</p><p>“I don’t see why not.” </p><p>“Sometimes it feels like the dark hour makes more sense than you two.” Yukari bemoans.</p><p>“Oh cmon yuka-tan we already have two fish people. This is one of the less weird recruits we’ve done!” Junpei laughs. Hamuko wonders how those fish are doing at their first day of learning.</p><p>~~~~~~~</p><p>Shinjiro has already flipped over a desk in frustration. Maybe that’s too much of a stretch, he picked it up and rotated it and then put it back down on its side gently to show his outrage at the lesson. </p><p>“What do you mean!? I’ve been fluent in speaking this language my whole life but you mean to tell me that the written form looks like THAT? Where did they even come up with this system!” The very patient tutor smiles at him like a saint.</p><p>“We are not quite to that part of our lesson yet, but to sum it up, the Japanese took their lettering system from China and made it their own.” Akihiko has already accidentally snapped 5 pencils while trying to take notes. </p><p>“I will remind you one more time and no further, you must hold the pencil with far less pressure. It does not take much to create a line with it.” </p><p>“Ah, yes ma’am, sorry ma’am.” Akihiko bows his head in shame. Learning has never been more important to him than in this moment, but he’s tripping up on the first step.</p><p>“It is alright. It is only day one, but the faster we learn how to write the language the faster we can start on real learning.” The tutor states with a faint bitterness. Shinjiro starts to get cranky.</p><p>“Why do I even have to learn this stuff anyways. When am I going to write anything!” </p><p>“The skill of reading will far surpass the need to write, but the teachings go hand in hand I’m afraid.” Shinjiro huffs. Akihiko cracks another pencil slightly without breaking it.</p><p>“Maybe we should take a break for today. Or the rest of the day off. We have no reason to rush if you aren’t ready to.” Akihiko feels his frustration bubble up in his throat. He wants to rush. He wants to be able to read so he can live in this world far easier. </p><p>Shinjiro doesn’t seem to share his passion for the surface world. Sometimes Akihiko feels like Shinjiro would be far happier back at sea. Akihiko follows Shinjiro as he quickly rolls into the kitchen for a glass of water.</p><p>“What.” Shinjiro asks flatly.</p><p>“I appreciate you staying up here on the surface with me, but-“</p><p>“Leave it.”</p><p>“Are you happy?”</p><p>“I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to. Worry about yourself.” Shinjiro says before he throws the cup of water onto his face. The tap is as close as they get to home.</p><p>“Alright.” Akihiko nods. They head back to the lobby to pick up where they left off in learning.</p><p>~~~~~~~~~~ </p><p>The last bell rings and school is out. Hamuko is eager to get home to aloe up until she remembers she promised to pick up books yesterday for the fish. She lays a firm hand on her wrist and takes it off again just to stare at the slowly fading mark it left. </p><p>When she snaps out of the trance of doing that she heads down to the bookstore with her favorite weird old people.</p><p>“A customer? But I don’t recognize you.” Bunkichi jokes or at least Hamuko hopes he’s joking.</p><p>“Cmon dearie, it’s our lovely Hamuko come to visit.” Mitsuko practically glows whenever Hamuko visits.</p><p>“Ah yes! What brings you in today, Minako?” </p><p>“I’m Hamuko, but I’m here for some books today. Low level reading stuff.”</p><p>“Oh my... our Hamuko is already with child!? At such a young age! I’m brimming with pride! Is it a boy or a girl?” Bunkichi rambles.</p><p>“Honey I don’t think it’s quite like that. She’s far too thin.” </p><p>“Very true! I’ve just taken up a babysitting job and I want to be super prepared.”</p><p>“Well don’t sit on them too hard!” Bunkichi cracks himself up.</p><p>After a long visit with the old bookstore weirdos Hamuko leaves the shop with about ten different books of various reading levels. They aren’t very heavy on their own but stacked up they’re about 3 normal novels worth.</p><p>She rushes home quickly as the sun bears down on her. She rushes so fast she crashes into somebody in front of the dorm. Books go flying everywhere.</p><p>“Ohhh my gosh! I’m so sorry I wasn’t watching where I was going!” Hamuko helps up the girl she crashed into before beginning to gather both of their things.</p><p>“Ah, it’s alright, please don’t worry about me. I shouldn’t have been standing in front of here for so long. It’s just so crazy moving into somewhere new so fast.” Hamuko stops gathering her books.</p><p>“Oh! You’re Fuuka then? It’s so nice to meet you! I’m Hamuko!” Fuuka looks immediately embarrassed.</p><p>“Oh my! You’re the team leader! Please, let me pick up everything.” Fuuka quickly gets to work picking up the rest.</p><p>“Please don’t treat me special, I’m hardly leader. It’s very nice to meet you, Fuuka. I look forward to working with you.”</p><p>“I look forward to working with you as well.” They exchange books so each has their own and enter in together chatting. Akihiko perks up from his studying in the lobby at the sound of Hamukos voice. Shinjiro keeps a laugh to himself.</p><p>“Hamuko! Where have you been?” Hamuko perks up at the sound of his voice and rushes towards him.</p><p>“Akihiko! I got books for you both to help you study! I also found our new recruit outside! That’s Fuuka.” Hamuko points to a shy looking Fuuka.</p><p>“Hello.” Says Shinjiro. It’s obvious that a lot is suddenly on his mind. </p><p>“Welcome.” Says Akihiko. </p><p>“Pleasure to be working with you all. I will be up in my room moving in if anybody needs me.” </p><p>“Do you need any help?” Hamuko asks.</p><p>“No no, I’ll be alright. Thank you.” Fuuka sees herself out. Shinjiro starts throwing out what’s on his mind.</p><p>“Another recruit? How many are we going to have?”</p><p>“It’s important to have a full team of people with many different skills! The more people we have the less we have to worry about people’s schedules and stuff.” Shinjiro doesn’t look giddy about it but after a moment of reflection he nods in agreement.</p><p>“Just don’t forget about us.”</p><p>“I’ll keep everybody equally trained, I promise.” He looks her deep the the eye before accepting her statement, and rolling back to his room. Hamuko sighs.</p><p>“Yukari? Yukari! I need your aloe!” Calls out Hamuko feeling too lazy to check around the lobby. Thankfully Yukari was at the back of the lobby and not in her room. </p><p>“Yea yea calm down I brought it down with me.” Yukari walks over to give it to her. Hamuko instantly begins to slather it all over her burns.</p><p>“That feels soooooo much better, Yukari. You saved my life.” Akihiko looks extremely confused.</p><p>“Your skin gets red and it hurts?” He asks trying to piece it together.</p><p>“Yea the sun burns our human skin if we’re out in the sun too long. If you have a lot of melanin it takes a lot longer to burn. I don’t have a lot so I burn in a few hours in direct sunlight.”</p><p>“What? I don’t think my skin does that...” </p><p>“How long have you ever been out in the sun on the surface?” Akihiko remembers back hard.</p><p>“Not very long. Should I try staying out?”</p><p>“No. A lot of Sunburns can lead to skin cancer and stuff. Don’t try and get them for fun.” </p><p>“I see. The surface can kill both of us slowly.” Akihiko has come to the morbid conclusion. Yukari looks weirded out. Hamuko gives an awkward half smile.</p><p>“I guess that’s true, yea.” She wordlessly hands the aloe back to Yukari who shoves it back into her hands.</p><p>“You’re going to need that for a couple days. I’m heading up to my room, night you two.” Yukari does as she says. Hamuko is grateful for the aloe. Though there’s one spot she can’t reach.</p><p>“Akihiko could you do me a favor? I can’t reach below my shoulders. Could you rub aloe around there for me?” </p><p>“Yea sure.” Akihiko says taking the bottle from her. He feels the weird plant goo in his hands before using it. He moves aside her hair with one hand, and suddenly his body stiffens. His cheeks flush a light pink. What is his problem!? She smells nice. That’s his problem.</p><p>Akihiko tries to shake his head out of it. He gets some aloe into his hand and delicately rubs it over her skin. He does a quick job of it and backs away trying to regain his emotions.</p><p>“Feel better?” He asks like a normal person.</p><p>“So much better! Thanks Akihiko! Oh my god I’m such a bad friend. I don’t think I ever asked you how your first day of school went! Did you learn anything new?” Thinking about his schooling sobers him up quickly.</p><p>“It was tough. We learned a lot of things today. Shinjiro gently flipped a desk today. I think tomorrow he might really flip one.”</p><p>“The first day is always the hardest. You’re very brave for doing this.” Hamuko compliments.</p><p>“The only bravery I really care about is fighting monsters late at night. Are we doing that tonight?” </p><p>“Nah, you guys just started school and our new recruit is moving in today. Maybe tomorrow we could.”</p><p>“I hope so. I feel like my fists are getting rusty.” </p><p>“I could stand to let off some steam too. I’ll bring it up with everybody tomorrow. I think I’m gonna head to bed early tonight.” </p><p>“Can I walk you to your room?” Akihiko says without really thinking about it. Hamuko looks at him with surprise.</p><p>“Sure, let’s go.” Hamuko feels a little bashful. They slowly walk back to Hamuko’s room jabbering along the way. Once they reach her door Hamuko decides to tease him a little.</p><p>“Yknow usually when you walk somebody to their house it’s after a date. I dunno if fish do the same. It’s common to kiss somebody when you reach their door too.”  Akihiko bites his lip. He’s familiar with the ideas from his magazines, but he didn’t really have the context until now. </p><p>“I had no idea.” He half truths. His heart begins to race.</p><p>“too bad this wasn’t a date! Thanks for walking me back Akihiko. Goodnight!” Hamuko looks smug as she opens her door.</p><p>“Wait!” Akihiko blurts out from adrenaline.</p><p>“Wait what?” She looks back at him with curious eyes.</p><p>“I uhm, well. We could, it doesn’t have to be after. Augh!” Hamuko can feel her smile growing. She leans in and gives him a peck on the cheek.</p><p>“Goodnight Akihiko.” She’s closing the door on him before he can even process. She hides behind it processing her own feelings.</p><p>Akihiko heads back to his own room with his head full of empty thoughts. Junpei watches him wheel by slowly and grins.</p><p>“So happy for you, Akihiko! Can’t believe you got her in the bag so fast!” Akihiko snaps out of his daze and immediately has Junpei’s collar in his hand.</p><p>“I’m kidding I’m kidding! Well I guess I’m not. What’s got you so in the clouds, dude?” Was Junpei really the guy Akihiko wanted to talk to about this? Unfortunately yes. He was all he had on humans.</p><p>“Hamuko is making me feel different. I think I might... like her.” Junpei decides to not understand his meaning on purpose.</p><p>“I would sure hope you like her considering you’re best friends.” Akihiko shakes him once by his collar.</p><p>“In a romantic way. Arg! Why am I even telling you.”</p><p>“I know a lot about the ladies!”</p><p>“Oh yea? Who do you have to show for it. I don’t see any women in your life.”</p><p>“You’re so cold, Akihiko...” </p><p>“I’m just stating the facts. I’m going to bed. Goodnight Junpei.” Akihiko lets go of him and begins to head back.</p><p>“Wait wait wait! I could help you!”</p><p>“With what? I don’t need help with anything.”</p><p>“What about courting her! Don’t you want to date her!?” </p><p>“Mind your own business. I’m still figuring things out.” </p><p>“Alright, but if you need help you know who to call! Goodnight Akihiko!” Akihiko quickly heads back to his room and leaps into his sponge of a bed. He scrambles for his magazine.</p><p>He used to think he was reading a surface dwellers old magazine, but it’s actually written in his native tongue. He’s just never had to read surface language until today. For some reason it still seems to be about surface topics though. They wouldn’t translate something like this, right?</p><p>Whatever. Akihiko flips open to the advice columns. There is a long panel about a girl who wants to get into a relationship.</p><p>“Dear Abalone, <br/>I have this crush on a boy that I like so so so much! My heart races whenever I’m around him I can hardly speak! How do I tell this guy I like him! Should I tell him I like him!? What if he doesn’t like me!” This sounds just like his problem.</p><p>“Dear writer, <br/>If you can’t speak then write a letter stating your points of view about where your relationship should go. Make sure he likes you first however. If you’re too scared for that, wait until he confesses first.” A letter? That seems cowardly. Though the magazine has gotten him this far. He’s pretty sure she likes him too.</p><p>But then again the magazine has never been wrong before. Akihiko decides that he will write a letter toni- wait no he won’t. He cannot write in her language. Akihiko punches his sponge bed. Hell just have to learn surface language way faster tomorrow. </p><p>He tucks his magazine under the bed and soon drifts off to sleep fired up about tomorrow.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Bumblebee</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>this is the chapter where they get together. also shinjiro is trying to figure out his life</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Akihiko wakes up fired up early in the morning. Today might be a Tartarus day! He gives his punching bag the worst treatment of its life before he heads down to the lobby to start his day. Most of everybody is already there getting ready for school.</p><p>“Hamuko you have mail.” Says Mitsuru as she hands her some mail. The memory hits Akihiko like a truck. His goal today was to write her one of those. He feels himself getting embarrassed just thinking about it. </p><p>Hamuko spots him from across the room and quickly walks over to him to greet him.</p><p>“Morning Akihiko! Did you sleep well? We’re going to Tartarus tonight! I arranged it just for you.” His eyes light up in excitement.</p><p>“Thanks Hamuko, morning to you too. Are you going to school today?” </p><p>“Yes we go to school on the same days, silly.” </p><p>“Ah yea. Do you know where I can get one of those letter things?”</p><p>“Paper and an envelope? I think we keep a lot behind the desk. Why? Who are you writing it to?”</p><p>“My future self?”</p><p>“Is that a question?”</p><p>“In the present it is?” </p><p>“You’re a real weirdo sometimes, Akihiko. Well, you have a nice day of tutoring! I hope you can find your letter materials! See ya later!” Hamuko heads off to school with everybody. </p><p>Akihiko takes this opportunity to check behind everything in the lobby. After a few seconds of rummaging Shinjiro comes out of he elevator.</p><p>“What are you doing.” </p><p>“Looking for some paper and an envelope.”</p><p>“You can’t write in English yet. Is it for me? I’m right here you don’t have to write.”</p><p>“Shut up, its not for you, I’ll figure out how soon enough.” Soon enough is also when the tutor arrives. The fish settle into their learning spots.</p><p>“Hello students, today we will be reviewing what we learned yesterday.” Akihiko grows impatient. He speeds through the review as if that’ll get him to learn how to write.</p><p>“Slow down, Akihiko. The paper won’t run away on you.” Akihiko feels a little embarrassed. Shinjiro smirks to himself.</p><p>“Teacher do you have any envelopes? I want to write a letter to somebody.” </p><p>“I don’t just carry those around, no. I can bring you in one when we get to learning how to address letters, but thats a few days off from this stage.” </p><p>Akihiko feels like he’s stuck in baby jail for dumbasses. He submits to the cruel schooling system. He’ll just have to learn how to write. Who would he be to tell somebody his feelings before he even knows that much.</p><p>~~~~~~~</p><p>Hamuko is daydreaming at her school and doodling little fish in the margins of her notes. She’s snapped back into reality when the teacher calls her name. She stands immediately on reflex.</p><p>“Hamuko, please explain to us the entire plot of The Great Gatsby.” School was usually full of questions with like three word answers what the hell is this bullcrap!?</p><p>“Uhm well Gatsby is across the ocean from Daisy so he throws a big party to lure her into his house and then they talk about shirts a while and eventually he kills her the end.” Hamuko sits down quickly after that summary. </p><p>“Excellent, but you forgot about Nick Carraway.” The teacher quickly goes back to blabbering on. Yukari looks at her like she definitely should not have gotten away with that as an answer. Hamuko is already gone back into her doodles.</p><p>Fish. Cricket. Fish. Cricket. fish. Fish. Heart above the two fish. She looks away from her drawings with the a dumb smile.</p><p>She’s in too deep. </p><p>She always could feel something bubbling up within her for that fish but last night really cemented it. She’s stuck on him. She’s been starting to think about the logistics of if they started dating, or ever harder, married. </p><p>But at the same time it was all so exciting and new and weird because he’s a fish and they’re so different but he’s so handsome and kind and caring and-</p><p>“Hamuko! Earth to Hamuko! It’s time to head home!” Calls Junpei in her ear. That startled her right out of her chair.</p><p>“Yes! Let’s go!” They begin to walk home together. Yukari and the rest are busy with after school activities.</p><p>“Soooo what was on your mind today? Something happen with your kissy fishy?”</p><p>“Nooo were not like that! ...Not yet at least” she says with a fire in her eyes.</p><p>“Oh man, I didn’t know it had gotten so serious and one sided!”</p><p>“its NOT one sided!”</p><p>“Well you’re not dating yet sooo...” Hamuko lightly punches him on the arm. </p><p>“Yea for now! I think I’m gonna tell him how I feel soon. Once I figure out how to word it best.” Hamuko seems tender.</p><p>“You work really fast. He’s going to be so lucky if he does like you back. You don’t even take any time to be insecure about it.” Junpei says wistfully.</p><p>“Life’s too short to worry about that sort of stuff. Feelings should be on the table all the time!”</p><p>“You’re so brave. I’d love to live that way but I’m way too much of a coward. I couldn’t handle all the rejections.”</p><p>“You handle them just fine now!”</p><p>“those ones don’t matter though!”</p><p>“Everything matters why else would you even tell them you like them.”</p><p>“I dunno I’m getting off topic. Do you think he’s going to be a good partner? I mean you two were raised kinda differently. And he doesn’t have any legs.”</p><p>“That doesn’t matter!”</p><p>“It’s something to think about before you... take the plunge!” Junpei laughs at his own joke. Hamuko groans.</p><p>“I think I want to take that chance. He’s a really sweet guy and I like spending time with him and I think we could be great! No further discussion!”</p><p>“Right right. So when are you going to pop the question?”</p><p>“When the time is right!”</p><p>“when’s that?”</p><p>“Shut up! We’re almost home. You better be ready for Tartarus tonight.”</p><p>“Are you going to ask him there? You’re so dangerous!” Junpei teases.</p><p>“No!!!” Hamuko whines. They reach the dorm at last and Hamuko tears inside to see Akihiko. Oh and shinjiro.</p><p>“Hey you two! How was day two of school?” Both the fish give her a tired expression. Must’ve been another successful day. </p><p>“I feel like this shit is useless. I didn’t sign up to play school I signed up to save the world.” Shinjiro mumbles.</p><p>“Take that up with Mitsuru. She would end me if I ever said you could drop out.” Hamuko sighs.</p><p>“Sure seems like Mitsuru has a lot of say when you’re supposedly leader.”</p><p>“Oh hush, I’m not fit for leadership anyways. She had experience and a passion for it. If she wants to use me as a puppet I don’t really mind. It’s way easier to blame mitsuru then deal with backlash from others on my own decisions.” </p><p>“I’ll take it up with mitsuru.” Shinjiro surrenders.</p><p>“I want to keep schooling no matter what. No complaints here.” Akihiko makes very clear though nobody looked like they were going to ask.</p><p>“I’m happy to hear it, Akihiko.” She gives him a tender smile before continuing on with her next sentence.</p><p>“You two better be ready for Tartarus tonight. We meet here half past eleven. Do whatever you need to to prep in the meantime. I’m gonna do homework.” </p><p>“Hey wait! I don’t mean to bother you if you have a lot to do, but can you help me read through one of those books you brought home? I want to practice, but I need to make sure I’m learning correctly.” Hamuko thinks about the work she has to get done and decides to ignore it. This is way more important.</p><p>“Yeah, of course, I can help you. We can study in the third floor lounge. I’d invite shinjiro but I think Shinjiro’s going to have a long talk with Mitsuru down here.” Shinjiro regretfully nods.</p><p>“Unfortunately. Enjoy your study date.” Hamuko feels an arrow through her heart. Date? That’s kinda nice to hear. Embarrassing but it made her too happy. Akihiko glares at him when he thinks Hamuko isn’t looking.</p><p>“Lets go.” Akihiko says as he heads for the elevator. Hamuko follows suit trying to contain some excitement. Is this the time she should tell him? The elevator ride is too short. Yukari might be at the 3rd floor lounge. </p><p>“We can go to my room to study, it’ll be a lot less distracting there!” Hamuko tells a white lie. She has no real intention to stay on topic of learning.</p><p>“Sounds good.” They soon reach their floor. Hamuko pokes out first to check if anybody’s hanging around. When she knows the coast is clear she takes his hand and walks with him to her room. </p><p>Akihikos hand is warm and rough but he has the perfect amount of grip for someone like him. Very firm but it never feels uncomfortable. Akihiko tries to keep a poker face but his blushing easily gives him away.</p><p>Hamuko opens the door for them and closes it behind them. This seems like it might be a perfect time to talk feelings. She sits on her bed and grabs a book for Akihiko to read.</p><p>“Good... naight... moon.” Akihiko slowly reads out the title. Ok maybe this isn’t as romantic as she first thought. </p><p>“Very good. I don’t have the book memorized so I’m going to have to read over your shoulder.” Hamuko motions for him to come closer. Akihiko cautiously tries to stay a respectable distance while being close enough to accomplish their goal. </p><p>“Cmon, i wont bite. Squeeze in close the print isn’t that big.” Akihiko shuffles his positioning around more until he’s as close as can be without accidentally rolling into her. She holds the sides of his walker and rotates him so his back is to her and pulls him in close. She stands up from the bed and rests her head on his shoulder to be able to read. She can feel the chill run down his spine.</p><p>Maybe this could be romantic after all.</p><p>“Alright, read to me. Im here to help.” Akihiko pauses and clears his throat before he begins to read. </p><p>“good. Night. Moon. Good night... spoon.” There are a lot of heavy pauses between the words. It is only his second day learning the actual text that fits these sounds. He’s doing pretty good for that.</p><p>“Good night... light... and the. Red.... balloon?” </p><p>“Yes very good. You’re doing great so far!” </p><p>“This is embarrassing.” Akihiko groans.</p><p>“Why do you say that?” </p><p>“I feel like an idiot. I’ve known this language in speaking forever. It feels like I’m learning all over again like I’m a minnow again.” Hamuko rubs at the shoulder she’s not leaning against to console him.</p><p>“Yes, this seems extremely frustrating. I’d have a hard time learning it too, but you’re doing so well. Please keep reading for me.” Akihiko hesitates and takes in a deep breath before he continues to read.</p><p>“Goodnight... bears. Goodnight... chairs. Wait a minute. How do these sound similar but look so different?”</p><p>“The more you question the language the less answers you’ll get.” </p><p>“Maybe they should remake it so everybody has to learn to read from scratch again.” </p><p>“Well if you save the world maybe you can put in a request with the entire human population about it.” </p><p>“It’ll be way too late by then! Then I’d have to restart too.” </p><p>“Then it’s not really about how little sense it makes then is it.” </p><p>“Yea yea, I just want to know it already. Goodnight... Hamuko. This book is killing me. I can only read goodnight so many times.”</p><p>“your reading level isn’t high enough for much else.” Hamuko tries to say politely. Akihiko turns back to give her a look, forgetting her head is on his shoulder. He accidentally nudges his cheek against her lips before they both pull back in shock.</p><p>“I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to- I forgot your head was there-“</p><p>“Akihiko don’t worry about it, it’s fine. I know it was an accident. Besides it was only a kiss on the cheek. If it was on the lips? Well...” Hamuko can’t really say there would be any sort of trouble. Not any of the bad kind at least.</p><p>“Well?” He presses.</p><p>“Oh I don’t actually have a ‘well’ I thought I’d figure it out during my sentence.” Akihikos watching her with intense eyes as she stumbles around with her words. </p><p>“Hamuko.”</p><p>“Yes?” </p><p>“I want to find out, is that alright?” It clicks quickly in her head what he’s getting at. Her heart races from every emotion.</p><p>“Yes.” Akihiko cautiously leans in for a kiss, Hamuko meets him halfway. They hold for about 3 seconds before they slowly part. </p><p>“So?” Akihiko asks with a hint of playfulness. Hamuko almost entirely forgot what he was referring to.</p><p>“Well... I think Im in love with you.” Hamuko brings a hand over her mouth in shock at her own timing. Akihiko looks at her in awe before his open mouth turns into a big smile.</p><p>“Do you mean it?” He gently moves her hand away from her face.</p><p>“Yes. I really do. I cherish the time we spend together and I think we make a great pair. I would really enjoy dating you and seeing how amazing we can really be. And I think you’re cute. Handsome. Sweet. I’m so glad you’re here with me, Akihiko. Thank you for leaving the ocean behind for me.” Hamuko holds onto both his hands with hers.</p><p>“Hamuko. I’m so conflicted.”</p><p>“What? Why?”</p><p>“I’m so happy that you’ve confessed to me first, I’m so happy you feel the same way I do. But I feel embarrassed that I can’t read or write yet. I wanted to confess to you by letter to show how far I’ve come...” Hamuko looks about ready to weep with joy.</p><p>“You’re so dumb sometimes. I mean that in the best way. You can show your writing proficiency by writing me letters as much as you want, ok? Poetry or whatever you want. It doesn’t have to be the start.”</p><p>“I’m dumb?”</p><p>“In the best way!”</p><p>“Wow, some mate you’re gonna be.” Hamuko’s eyes go wide until she remembers this fish probably has no less sexual words for partner.</p><p>“Call me your girlfriend. I’ll call you my boyfriend. That’s the usual terms up on the surface. Unless you want to use partner too.”</p><p>“What’s wrong with mate? Shinjiro told me the people on tv use it as a friendship term.” </p><p>“Those are very specific places. I wouldn’t use it here or Mitsuru might stick up her nose at us and install a night guard.”</p><p>“Fine fine partner friend whatever will make your bi pedals happy.”</p><p>“So it’s official? We’re dating?” </p><p>“Yes. I want to date you and you want to date me so we’re dating.” Hamuko throws her arms around him in a big warm hug. Akihiko copies her actions not entirely sure of all the rituals.</p><p>“I’m so happy Akihiko, but what poor timing. We have to go to Tartarus soon.”</p><p>“That’s great timing, I’m more fired up than ever. With you at my side I’m sure I’ll hit even harder!” Akihikos so reliable. </p><p>“Alright, then let’s round everybody up.” Hamuko takes him by the hand as she usually likes to and leads him down to the lobby. The usual crowd begins to trickle in, Junpei is up first.</p><p>“Hey you two- whoa whoa whoa wait a minute. I have never seen either of you glowing like this. What happened?”</p><p>“We’re just really exited to go to Tartarus.” </p><p>“Yea alright I get it you’re dating now. I’m happy for you both you two weirdos deserve eachother.” They’re both a little shocked he guessed so fast, but neither of them are upset about it. The more people just figure it out the less weird they have to make it by bringing it up.</p><p>Yukari and the rest come down at similar times. Yukari takes one long look at the two of them and their weird grins before it’s clear on her face that she understands somethings fishy. Full pun intended. </p><p>Shinjiro and mitsuru are too busy bickering about Shinjiro’s schooling to even look at anybody else. Hamuko decides the two of them should probably hang back and hash that out. </p><p>The team of the night is akihiko, Yukari, Junpei, with fuuka acting as navigator. Mitsuru and shinjiro hardly even notice hamuko notifying that they’re setting out. An unstoppable force has met an unmovable object. </p><p>Tartarus goes as it usually does, except Hamuko and Akihiko are disgustingly motivated. Almost every single hit they land is critical. The monsters hardly stand a chance. Junpei is absolutely jazzed up by their energy and he hits harder as a result. Even yukari feels the buzz and heals others better than usual.</p><p>They’re having the times of their lives until they reach the top of the current months section. A cruel looking boss hovers in the way. They take a step back to talk strategy. </p><p>“Alright team, the odds are stacked against us. We have two in the field and one out left.” Junpei starts. </p><p>“What are you even trying to say?” Asks Yukari.</p><p>“Anyways I think we should go in and hit it until it dies, ok? You all know how to fight. What else is there to say!” Junpei continues. </p><p>“Yea! Let’s go!” Hamuko doesn’t bother trying to stop Junpei’s stepping up to play leader. She rushes into the fight and everybody quickly follows behind.</p><p>Somehow with a lot of healing and close calls they shred the enemy to pieces. They take a moment to catch their breath and bask in their victories before they scale the rest of Tartarus available to them. </p><p>“Huh. I guess we’re free for the rest of the month.” Hamuko points out. Junpei jumps for joy. </p><p>“Yes! I can go out at night again!” </p><p>“You should be studying.” Yukari nags.</p><p>“We really don’t have to come back until the end of the month? What about training?” Akihiko wonders.</p><p>“Tartarus is a little too dangerous to hang out in if we don’t have to. We can just train with eachother back at the dorm! I’m sure if you ask anybody they’ll spar with you.” Hamuko says optimistically. Yukari and Junpei don’t look enthusiastic about the idea.</p><p>“Yea, sounds great. Let’s get back home now I’m beat.” Junpei complains. Everybody heads back and they’re all greeted by Mitsuru and Shinjiro who won’t look eachother in the eyes. You could only  cut through the tension with a knife. </p><p>“Welcome back. I’m glad to see you all made it back safely. How far did you get?” Mitsuru asks.</p><p>“We’re done until the next full moon.” Hamuko gladly reports.</p><p>“Excellent. We’re way ahead of schedule. Everybody get some rest tonight. You all earned it.” The team gladly heads off to bed. It’s been a very long night. Hamuko takes Akihiko’s hand and walks him back to his dorm. They softly chatter to eachother on the way.</p><p>“So we have a good amount of time until the full moon.” Hamuko says dragging out her vowels.</p><p>“Yea?”</p><p>“I was thinking since we have our nights free we could go on a date or something.”</p><p>“Ah yeah I know those things. Isn’t the first one super important to you?” </p><p>“No not really. I already know you so the first date is a lot less important.” </p><p>“Oh...”</p><p>“That’s supposed to be a relaxing thing, Akihiko. If the first date is stressful you’re bound to screw it up.” </p><p>“I would not. Try me.” Akihikos competitive spirit never falters.</p><p>“I’m not putting you through a lot of pressure with a first date. Do you even have dating in the ocean how do you know so much about this?” </p><p>“How would I know. My species is vaguely human so maybe we have dating too.”</p><p>“If you’re so maybe then how do you know so much about it.” Akihiko bites his lip. He doesn’t really want to admit he’s been reading gossip magazines for a decade to learn about this stuff.</p><p>“The tutor is really into romance. She answers me anything I want to know.” </p><p>“Where does Mitsuru hire these weirdos...”</p><p>“You find teammates in the ocean.” </p><p>“Yea well anyways I was wondering if you wanted to go out with me tomorrow night. Are you busy?” They reach Akihikos door.</p><p>“Not that I know of.”</p><p>“Great, I’ll pick you up at 6.”  Hamuko kisses him on the cheek goodnight and begins to head off.</p><p>“Isn’t it supposed to be 7?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Nothing. Goodnight!” Akihiko skirts into his room quickly. Shinjiro knocks on the wall as soon as he hears Akihikos door shut.</p><p>“What’s up, Shinji?”</p><p>“You’re dating Hamuko, huh?” That takes Akihiko by surprise.</p><p>“...yes.”</p><p>“Great. Anyways I couldn’t get Mitsuru to release me from school. She really thinks I’m going to find some use for this stuff if I just give it more of a chance. She said if I still have no passion for school in two months I can stop. Two months! She’s out of her mind. I’ll be brainwashed into loving it at that point.” Shinjiro complains. </p><p>Akihiko feels like he’s been whiplashed by how fast the conversation topic changed. Shinjiro wasn’t one to care much about Akihikos personal life but that was weird even for him.</p><p>“Oh uhm, I don’t know if it’s really brainwashing if you end up liking it. I don’t really know if you know what your future is but if it ends up being on the surface you’re going to want a full education.”</p><p>“Why would I ever stick around up here?”</p><p>“I assume we’re going to be fighting Tartarus for a while and we’re going to get attached to the people here. I’m already attached. Also we don’t have anything or anybody to go back to in he ocean. Our species is close to extinct.” Akihiko explains.</p><p>“Maybe our specific pod is gone but there’s gotta be more of us out there.” Shinjiro pauses for a moment and bites his lip.</p><p>“There has to be...” that hits Akihiko right in his memories. He used to have that pleading thought in his head for all those years he was separated from everybody.</p><p>“Shinjiro, I spent a lot of time in that ocean wondering about things like us. Mostly about where you were taken to and how to get you back. You don’t have to feel the same loneliness I had when you’re currently surrounded by people who care about you.” Shinjiro looks at him with troubled eyes, and then back down to the floor with a bit of shame.</p><p>“I just feel a disconnect is all. I appreciate what we have going here and that I got to survive being kidnapped. It just doesn’t sit well with me to think that we’re the last of our kind. Especially if I don’t even look.”</p><p>“We can look for them together.”</p><p>“Are you serious? I don’t need-“</p><p>“I don’t care if you don’t think you need me, I’d like to go. That’s all.” </p><p>“Alright. I’ll let you know. Goodnight”</p><p>“Thank you shinjiro. Goodnight.” Akihiko sinks face first into his bed. What a long day. What a good day. He drifts off before he can even study for his first date tomorrow.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>